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Assessment tools to measure postnatal mental illness: A 10-year scoping review

Shahmi Ruslan NL 1 , Mohd Arifin SR 2 , Abang Abdullah KH 3 , Abas NAH 4 , Husain R 5 , Abd Aziz KH 6 Show all authors , Musa R 7 , Syed Mohideen FB 8 , Perveen A 9 , Che Mat K 5

Affiliations 

  • 1 RN, BNurs, Hospital Development Centre, UniSZA, Kampus Gong Badak, Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
  • 2 RM, RN, BHsc, MNSc, PhD, Department of Special Care Nursing, Kulliyyah of Nursing, International Islamic University Malaysia, Pahang, Malaysia, Email: roshaidai@iium.edu.my
  • 3 MBChB, DrPsych, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri, Sembilan, Malaysia
  • 4 BSc, MS, Dr Rer Nat, Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Human Development, Universiti Pendidikan, Sultan Idris, Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia
  • 5 MD, MMed (Psych), Psychological Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Sultan, Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
  • 6 MD, MPH, DrPH, Department of Community Medicine, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
  • 7 MD, M.Med (Psychiatry), Department of Psychiatry, Kulliyyah of Medicine, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan Pahang, Malaysia
  • 8 MD, MMed (Family Medicine), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, Negeri, Sembilan, Malaysia
  • 9 MCPD, PhD, Department of Psychology and Counselling, Faculty of Human Development, Universiti Pendidikan, Sultan Idris, Tanjung Malim, Perak, Malaysia
Malays Fam Physician, 2022 Jul 24;17(2):10-21.
PMID: 35950006 DOI: 10.51866/rv1289

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The use of assessment tools to measure postnatal mental illness is essential in healthcare settings. However, variations in the types of tools and their reliability in a particular population lead to under-recognition of mental health status in postnatal mothers. The aim of this review is to evaluate the most recent 10 year of research on the validity and reliability of postnatal mental illness assessment tools.

METHODS: A literature search of studies from online databases PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct was conducted.

RESULTS: A total of 59 studies were selected for this review. Several studies utilised multiple assessment tools, and a total of 96 assessment tools were identified and classified into six domains: postnatal blues, postnatal stress, postnatal anxiety, postnatal depression, postnatal psychosis, and postnatal psychological disorder. In this review, EPDS was the most common tool used to identify postnatal depression and anxiety while DASS 21 was the most common tool used to identify postnatal psychological disorder. There is a wide range in preponderance of evidence for the reliability of each assessment tool and there were inconsistencies in assessing the validity of the assessment tools.

CONCLUSION: This review provides information regarding some of the main assessment tools currently available to measure postnatal mental illnesses. There were no standardised tools that were used in a particular setting. The results may differ in different population because there are differences in not only languages and dialects, but also cultural and racial backgrounds, which greatly influences their perception and interpretation of postnatal mental illness.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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