Relationship Between Depression and/or Anxiety and Hospital Readmission Among Women After Childbirth.
Aparna Kumar, Aditi Rao, Kathleen O'Rourke and 1 others
PMID 31356766WHAT IT FOUND
After childbirth, women coded with depression or anxiety were not more likely to be readmitted once birth complications and other health factors were considered.
Women with any psychiatric diagnosis were more likely to be readmitted, but that was not the main depression or anxiety question.
Key findings
01Coded depression or anxiety diagnoses were not associated with higher readmission risk after childbirth when birth complications and other health factors were considered.
02Any psychiatric diagnosis was associated with higher readmission risk at 30, 60, 90, and 180 days, but not at 7 days, after accounting for demographic and birth factors.
03Women with coded depression or anxiety were more likely to be discharged with home health care.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The data came from one health system, so results may not apply to other hospitals. Mental health diagnoses were taken from administrative codes, and coding for obstetric comorbidities including mental health disorders is thought to be less than 60%, so some women may have been missed. The study could not measure whether women had given birth before. It did not include hospital or nurse staffing variables. Because it used existing records, it cannot show that depression, anxiety, or psychiatric diagnosis caused readmission. The main depression or anxiety analysis was null, and the authors note a larger sample might detect an effect.
Declared interests
The supplied publication types list NIH extramural research support. The article text does not state author conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read this as evidence that treating postpartum depression or anxiety prevents readmission. The study compared existing records, not treatment, and the main depression or anxiety analysis did not show higher risk after accounting for birth complications and other health factors.