Exploring Black Mothers' Lived Experiences of Depression and the Relationship to Their Child's Asthma: A Qualitative...

Maternal depression represents a critical yet modifiable factor contributing to health inequity in pediatric asthma, particularly among Black families. Maternal mental health can directly affect a child's asthma management and outcomes; however, social work and behavioral health support remain largely absent from pediatric asthma care, and little is known about how mothers manage a child's asthma while also navigating their own mental health challenges. We sought to explore Black mothers' perceptions of depressive symptoms and how these symptoms affect their child's asthma.

We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 Black mothers of children at a community-based pediatric asthma clinic. Eligible participants screened positive for depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 > 4). Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, which included multiple coding strategies and analytic memoing to develop and refine themes.

Mothers described extensive and chronic depressive symptoms, inadequate formal mental health treatment, and reliance on coping strategies and informal support. Mothers articulated the many ways in which their symptoms impaired their ability to manage their child's asthma,including responding to symptoms, medication use, and implementing environmental controls.