Screening for Perinatal Mental Health Using Whooley Questions and GAD-2 Tools
Author Information
Author(s): Grussu Pietro, Severo Melania, Jorizzo Gianfranco J., Quatraro Rosa Maria
Primary Institution: Consultorio Familiare, Italian National Health Service, Azienda ULSS 6 Euganea, Padova, Italy
Hypothesis
What are the potential and critical issues of using both Whooley questions and GAD-2 tools in screening for women’s perinatal mental health?
Conclusion
The Whooley questions and GAD-2 tools are effective for rapid screening of depression and anxiety symptoms during the perinatal period, but they should be followed by more comprehensive assessments.
Supporting Evidence
- Whooley questions and GAD-2 can identify women at increased risk for postpartum depression.
- These tools are effective in detecting continuity of depressive symptoms from pregnancy to postpartum.
- Whooley questions and GAD-2 have shown good sensitivity and specificity compared to longer screening instruments.
- Both tools are particularly useful in low-resource settings with high patient volumes.
Takeaway
This study looks at two quick questions that help doctors check if new moms are feeling sad or anxious. They are good for spotting problems early, but more tests are needed to be sure.
Methodology
A scoping review was conducted to analyze studies using Whooley questions and GAD-2 tools for screening perinatal mental health.
Potential Biases
Results may be subject to recall bias due to the self-reporting nature of the tools.
Limitations
The reliability and accuracy of the Whooley questions and GAD-2 are unclear, and they lack diagnostic value.
Participant Demographics
Perinatal women (pregnant and postpartum) screened for mental health conditions.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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