Postpartum Depression among new Mothers of Color: Recommendations for Public Health Social Workers

Section 2952 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA):  Support, Education, and Research for Postpartum Depression (PPD) mandates ongoing research to better understand the frequency and course of postpartum depression, address differences in treatment needs among racial and ethnic groups, and develop culturally competent evidence-based treatment approaches (US Department of Labor, 2012).  Current PPD best practices rely on screening, diagnosis, and formal mental health treatment for mothers who report PPD symptoms.  In this qualitative study, 30 new mothers of color who have a history of PPD were asked to make recommendations to healthcare providers including public health social workers (PHSWs).  Among the most frequent recommendations were for providers to have more flexible appointment schedules; develop services other than traditional mental health treatment, which mothers often found unhelpful; facilitate dialogues with other mothers; and provide supportive counseling in primary care settings. The mothers also stressed that the difficulties they face in their daily lives such as inadequate daycare, limited transportation, and limited finances make it difficult to engage in traditional mental health treatment schedules. These, and other demands of motherhood, are the very things mothers need to talk about, yet they cannot adhere to treatment schedule expectations, and are frequently seen as non-compliant, which results in termination of  services. If PHSWs seek the mothers’ input, they will more likely be successful advocates in recommending changes in the ACA to policy evaluators to improve its effectiveness for mothers living with PPD.