To study knowledge and attitude regarding post- partum depression before and after a structured teaching program intervention among registered staff nurses

Background & Aim: Untreated postpartum depression (PPD) can result in serious consequences on health of mother, baby and entire family. Despite its far-reaching consequences, PPD still goes unnoticed. Nurses can play an important role in its early detection and facilitating management of PPD. Current study aimed to check the effect of structured teaching program upon baseline knowledge and attitude regarding PPD. Materials and method: It was an experimental study using pre and post-test design, conducted at a tertiary teaching hospital. Total 31 qualified, registered staff nurses working in obstetric setting were enrolled for a structured teaching program after obtaining ethics committee approval and informed consent. A knowledge and attitude questionnaires was developed comprising of 40 items focusing on knowledge about epidemiology & etiology, clinical features, management & prognosis, and attitude about barriers to screen PPD & role of nurses in PPD identification and management. The mean knowledge & attitude score was compared pre ad post-test using SPSS. Results: Mean knowledge score on epidemiology & aetiology domain and clinical features domain significantly improved in post-test assessment. Majority of nurses perceived barriers of lack of manpower, privacy at work place, and lack of time while screening for PPD. All nurses agreed that they can initiate a vital role in identifying the early signs & symptoms of PPD as they are the first line of contact with patients. Conclusion: This study revealed that nurses’ knowledge and opinion regarding PPD can be effectively improved with teaching interventions.