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Only about 8% of pediatricians screen mothers for depression, despite its 5% to 10% prevalence among women of parenting age and its possible negative psychological effects on children. Most pediatricians who do ask about depression symptoms use an unstructured interview approach. In this study, investigators compared the yields of a paper-based questionnaire and a scripted interview for maternal depression screening. Both screening methods were based on a pair of questions about mood and anhedonia (i.e., not seeking or experiencing pleasure) that have been proven to be effective as standardized screening measures for detecting depression and are recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
A community sample of 11 pediatricians in…