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The British Journal of Psychiatry (2002) 181: 505-512
© 2002 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Economic costs of post-natal depression in a high-risk British cohort

STAVROS PETROU, PhD

National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, UK

PETER COOPER, PhD and LYNNE MURRAY, PhD

Department of Psychology, University of Reading UK

LESLIE L. DAVIDSON, MD

National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, UK

Correspondence: Dr Stavros Petrou, National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Health Sciences, University of Oxford, Old Road, Headington, Oxford OX37LF, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 1865 226829; fax: +44 (0) 1865 227002; e-mail: stavros.petrou{at}perinat.ox.ac.uk

Declaration of interest None.

Funding was provided by the NHS Executive South East, the Department of Health and the Tedworth Charitable Trust.

Background Post-natal depression is a common condition that can result in distress for the mother and deleterious effects on the development of the infant.

Aims To estimate the economic costs of post-natal depression in a geographically defined cohort of women at high risk of developing the condition.

Method Unit costs were applied to estimates of health and social care resource use made by 206 women recruited from antenatal clinics and their infants. Net costs per mother—infant dyad over the first 18 months post-partum were estimated.

Results Mean mother—infant dyad costs were estimated at £2419.00 for women with post-natal depression and £2026.90 for women without post-natal depression, a mean cost difference of £392.10 (P=0.17). The mean cost differences between women with and without post-natal depression reached statistical significance for community care services (P=0.01), but not for other categories of service. Economic costs were higher for women with extended experiences of the condition.

Conclusions The results of this study should be used to facilitate the effective planning of services by different agencies.


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