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The objective of this study was to translate and psychometrically assess a Portuguese version of the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form (BSES-SF). The original English version of the BSES-SF was translated to Portuguese and tested among a sample of 89 mothers in southern Brazil from the 2nd to 12th postpartum week followed by face-to-face interviews. The mean total score of the Portuguese version of the BSES-SF was 63.6 +/- 6.22. The reliability analysis of each item in the scale attained significant Cronbach's alphas of 0.63 or superior. The Cronbach's alpha generated by the entire range of 14 questions was 0.71. A factor analysis identified one factor that contributed to 20% of the variance. This study demonstrates that the original English version of the BSES-SF was successfully adapted to Portuguese. The Portuguese version of the BSES-SF constitutes a reliable research instrument for evaluating breastfeeding self-efficacy in Brazil.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to review the main postpartum screening tools currently used in terms of their ability to screen for postnatal depression. Furthermore, the cultural characteristics of depressive postpartum symptomatology are examined. Method: A systematic literature search was conducted for the period 1987-2009, using the Medline electronic database for the following keywords: postpartum depression and postnatal depression. These terms were combined with: assessment, screening and psychometric tools. Results: Of the four screening tools reviewed and compared, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS) presented substantial sensitivity and specificity as screening tools. However, none of the instruments could be rated flawless when applied to different cultural contexts. Conclusions: In addition to the EPDS, a new generation of instruments is currently available. Supplementary research is needed to substantiate their use as screening tools in general practice. Additional studies are needed to adapt and test instruments to detect postnatal depression within a wider range of languages and cultures.

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OBJECTIVESTo assess maternal quality of life (QoL) during the postpartum period and to compare the performance of two QoL questionnaires across a sample of 101 women in southern Brazil. To our knowledge, this is the first study that measures maternal quality of life during the postpartum period in Brazil.INTRODUCTIONThere is limited information about postpartum maternal quality of life in Brazil. The are no Portuguese versions of instruments specifically designed to measure quality of life during the postpartum period.METHODSResearch participants completed the Portuguese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment-Bref (WHOQOL-BREF) and Multicultural Quality of Life Index (MQLI) questionnaires. The correlations between the MQLI and the discrete areas of WHOQOL-BREF were examined using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficients.RESULTSWe report a significant correlation between the global MQLI and the four domains of the WHOQOL-BREF scores (p < 0.01). An analysis of variance revealed a significant difference in mean scores in the Psychological and Environment domains according to different socio-economic strata: F (3, 97) = 3.81, p = 0.012 and F (3, 97) = 4.03, p = 0.01, respectively.DISCUSSIONThe WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire may be more sensitive than the MQLI in detecting the impact of socioeconomic status on the QoL of postpartum women.CONCLUSIONThe sample of postpartum women evaluated in this study presented favorable QoL scores according to both the MQLI and WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires. Our results also indicate that the WHOQOL-BREF and the MQLI questionnaires have a significant correlation in terms of their assessments of postpartum mothers.