Psychometric properties of the Arabic version of EPDS and BDI-II as a screening tool for antenatal depression: evidence from Qatar

BMJ Open. 2019 Sep 13;9(9):e030365. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-030365.

Abstract

Objectives: The current study aimed to validate and determine the psychometric properties of the Arabic versions of the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) in Qatar.

Design: A cross-sectional study design was employed.

Setting: Antenatal care (ANC) clinics at nine primary healthcare centres.

Participants: Pregnant women (n=128) aged 15-46 years in different trimesters of pregnancy, attending the ANC clinics as well as capable of reading and writing in the Arabic language.

Results: A total of 128 participants were enrolled. On conducting the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the EPDS showed a larger area under the curve at 0.951 than the BDI-II tool (0.912). Using Youden's index, a score >13 on the EPDS (87% sensitivity, 90% specificity) and >19 on the BDI-II (96% sensitivity, 73% specificity) allowed for the greatest division between depressed and non-depressed participants.

Conclusion: To address the under-recognition of antenatal depression, physicians at primary healthcare centres in Qatar should be encouraged to utilise the EPDS to screen pregnant women seeking ANC services.

Keywords: Beck Depression Inventory-II; Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale; Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview; antenatal depression; mental health; validation studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Depression / diagnosis*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Interview, Psychological / methods
  • Mass Screening / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications* / diagnosis
  • Pregnancy Complications* / psychology
  • Pregnant People / psychology*
  • Prenatal Care / methods*
  • Prenatal Diagnosis / methods
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Psychometrics* / methods
  • Psychometrics* / standards
  • Qatar
  • Translations