Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 1998

Care for Postnatal Depressive Mothers The D e p a r t me n ts o f Obstetrics & Gynaecology a n d P s y c h i a t r y, i n c o l l a b o r a t i on w i t h t h e P r i n c e o f Wa l es H o s p i t a l , l a u n c h e d a large-scale s y s t ema t ic c l i n i c al s c r e e n i ng s e r v i c e o n 1st J u l y to h e l p f i g h t a g a i n s t postnatal depression. L o c a l l y v a l i d a t e d a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y r e c o g n i z ed p s y c h o m e t r ic i n s t r ume n t s are used to i d e n t i fy p r o a c t i v e l y w o m e n s u f f e r i n g f r o m postnatal depression i n t h e i n i t i a l m o n t h s p o s t p a r t u m a n d t o p r o v i de a p p r o p r i a te care f o r these w o m e n . T h e service is the f i r st of its k i n d i n H o n g K o n g w h i c h deals w i t h the p r o b l em u s i ng a p r e v e n t i v e approach. The service is the extension of a research o n the same subject w h i c h b e g a n i n 1995 at t h e U n i v e r s i t y a n d t h e P r i n c e of Wa l e s H o s p i t a l . P r e g n a nt w o m e n a t t e n d i ng the O b s t e t r i c s U n i t o f t h e P r i n c e o f Wa l es H o s p i t a l a n d their spouse s are e d u c a t e d i n antenatal classes about postnatal depression a n d g i v e n q u e s t i o n n a i r es u p o n d i s c h a r ge f r o m t h e p o s t n a t al w a r d . T h o se n e e d i n g treatment are attended to accordingly. A h o t l i n e a n d a p s y c h i a t r i s t - o n - c a ll s e r v i ce h a v e a l so b e e n e s t a b l i s h ed f o r emergency contact a n d consultation. Computers for Cervical Cancer Prevention A n A u t o P a p 300 Q C m a c h i n e a n d Pathfinder ' He l p e r ' computers we r e installed at the c o mm u n i t y clinic f o r the p r e v e n t i o n of cervical cancer at the Faculty of Me d i c i ne f or early d e t e c t i o n of lesions to ensure the accuracy of Pap smears. The clinic is th e first i n H o n g K o n g to e m p l o y s u c h c o m p u t er technology for this purpose. The e q u i pme n t w a s a c q u i r e d w i t h a H K $ 5 . 2 5 m i l l i o n d o n a t i o n f r om th e H o n g K o n g Cancer F u n d . Eye Screening for Severe Myopia T h e D e p a r t m e nt o f O p h t h a l m o l o gy a n d V i s u al Sciences o r g a n i z e d a n eye screening service i n A u g u s t f o r i n d i v i d u a l s s u f f e r i n g f r o m s e v e r e s h o r t s i g h t e d n e s s , i.e., 600 degrees or above. Project leader Prof . De n n i s L a m p o i n t e d o u t that persons w i t h severe m y o p i a are k n o w n to h a v e h i g h er risks of r e t i n a l b r e a k s, r e t i n al d e t a c h m e n t , o p e n a n g le g l a u c oma, a n d cataract, b u t l i t t le is k n o w n a b o u t h o w m a n y of t h e s e s i g h t t h r e a t e n i ng c o n d i t i o ns exist undetected. O f the 383 eyes w i t h a m e a n shortsightedness o f 1,000 d e g r e e s s c r e e n e d i n t h e p r o j e c t, retinal breaks we r e detected i n close to eight p e r c e n t, a n d r e t i n a l d e t a c h m e n t w a s d e t e c t ed i n on e eye. B u t mo s t a l a r m i n g l y, o n l y h a l f o f t h e p a t i e n ts w i t h p r o b l e m s s h o w e d s y m p t o ms of the problems . Retinal breaks can be treated easily a n d s u c c e s s f u l ly w i t h laser t h e r a p y . W i t h o u t t i m e l y t r e a t me n t, h o w e v e r, r e t i n a l b r e a k s and retinal detachment ma y lead to blindness. Study Finds Depression a Causefor Elderly Suicide The D e p a r t me n t of Psychiatry revealed that half of the elderly people i n H o n g K o n g w h o c o m m i t s u i c i d e a re s u f f e r e r s o f depression, according t o a s t u dy i t conducted o n the elderly. T he n u m b e r of p e o p le aged 65 o r a b o v e s u f f e r i n g f r o m d e p r e s s i v e disorders is estimated t o be a b o u t 20,000 to 30,000. O f th e 1,034 e l d e r l y p e o p l e i n t e r v i e w e d Chinese University Bulletin Autumn • Winter 1998 56