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Assessing physical symptoms during the postpartum period: Reliability and validity of the Primary Health Questionnaire Somatic Symptom Subscale (PHQ-15)

Wilkie, Stephanie, Crawley, Rosalind, Button, Susan, Thorton, Alexandra and Ayers, Susan (2017) Assessing physical symptoms during the postpartum period: Reliability and validity of the Primary Health Questionnaire Somatic Symptom Subscale (PHQ-15). Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 39 (1). pp. 56-63. ISSN 1743-8942

Item Type: Article

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to establish the reliability and validity of the Primary Health Questionnaire Somatic Symptom Severity Subscale (PHQ-15) for postpartum women.
Methods: Women (N = 495) completed the PHQ-15 approximately six weeks postpartum during the baseline phase of a randomised controlled trial evaluating a writing intervention for postnatal health in England. Reliability was assessed using internal consistency statistics and convergent validity by comparing differences in self-reported physical health, health-related quality of life (QoL), and primary care usage by PHQ-15 symptom severity category.
Results: Cronbach’s α for the PHQ-15 was 0.73 and item-total statistics met recommended guidelines. Validity analyses showed 6% of women reported severe symptoms, 17% medium, 50% low, and 27% minimal symptoms. Women with severe symptoms reported poorer overall physical health, poorer physical health-related QoL, and greater use of primary care. Women with severe symptoms also rated their baby’s health as worse and used primary care more for their baby.
Discussion: This study suggests the PHQ-15 has the potential to be a useful and valid measure of physical symptoms in postpartum women in high-income countries.

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More Information

Depositing User: Stephanie Wilkie

Identifiers

Item ID: 6918
Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1080/0167482X.2017.1289167
ISSN: 1743-8942
URI: http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/id/eprint/6918
Official URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01674...

Users with ORCIDS

ORCID for Stephanie Wilkie: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2829-9959
ORCID for Rosalind Crawley: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2321-463X
ORCID for Susan Ayers: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6153-2460

Catalogue record

Date Deposited: 10 Feb 2017 14:12
Last Modified: 04 Feb 2020 11:26

Contributors

Author: Stephanie Wilkie ORCID iD
Author: Rosalind Crawley ORCID iD
Author: Susan Ayers ORCID iD
Author: Susan Button
Author: Alexandra Thorton

University Divisions

Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing
Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing > School of Psychology

Subjects

Psychology > Psychology

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