Date of Conferral

8-5-2024

Date of Award

August 2024

Degree

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

School

Public Health

Advisor

Stacy-Ann Christian

Abstract

Perinatal depression among Black women results in significant public health burdens, interacting with systemic disparities to create disproportionate risks of adverse birth outcomes. The present study explored the moderating effect of pregnancy intention on the relationship between perinatal depression and adverse birth outcomes such as low birth weight and preterm delivery among Black women living in the southern United States. Using secondary data from the 2016-2020 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), data were analysed from 9825 black women across eight southern states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia. The statistical approach included chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression analyses to investigate how the intentionality of pregnancy influences the relationship between depressive symptoms and birth outcomes. The findings showed that perinatal depression and intentionality of the pregnancy were significantly associated with adverse birth outcomes. The study revealed that unintended pregnancies significantly increase the risks associated with perinatal depression, such as low birth weight and preterm birth. Ultimately, by quantifying heightened odds concentrated among Black mothers with unintended pregnancies and perinatal depression, this study informs a redesigned, equity-based paradigm seeking to dismantle disproportionate risks propagating across generations. These findings support the role of pregnancy intention as an influential moderator in determining whether depression has a benign or malignant correlation for mother and child.

Download

Included in

Public Health Commons

Share

 
COinS