Perinatal Anxiety and Depression in Minority Women

Susan Gennaro1, Caitlin OʼConnor, Elizabeth Anne McKay

  • 1Dr. Susan Gennaro is Dean and Professor, William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA. Dr. Gennaro can be reached via e-mail at susan.gennaro@bc.edu Caitlin O'Connor is a Research Associate, William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA. Anne McKay is a PhD Student, William F. Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA. Dr. Anne Gibeau is Director of Midwifery, Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, NY. Melanie Aviles is a Research Coordinator, Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, NY. Dr. Jacqueline Hoying is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Practice; Director, MINDSTRONG Program; and Director, Consumer Core at Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing & Healthcare, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Dr. Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk is Vice President for Health Promotion; University Chief Wellness Officer; Dean and Professor, College of Nursing; Professor of Pediatrics & Psychiatry, College of Medicine; and Executive Director, the Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-Based Practice, College of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH.

Depression and anxiety are common during pregnancy and are experienced at higher rates among women who are racial and ethnic minorities. Because depression and anxiety influence maternal and infant outcomes, intervening to improve perinatal mental health should be a priority for all healthcare providers. However, in the United States, a number of barriers including lack of mental health providers, lack of perinatal behavioral health systems, and stigma, limit access to care. Universal screening has been recommended and here we examine how universal screening can help nurses improve the mental health of childbearing women. Interventions that are currently in use to improve perinatal anxiety and depression are reviewed and include: psychopharmacology, cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, and mindfulness. Recommendations for future research and healthcare system changes are made.

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