NEWS

Study is first of kind to focus on home-based intervention for Hispanic mothers with postpartum depression

By SARAH MCCONNAGHY
UNC School of Nursing

CHAPEL HILL -- Helping low-income N.C. Hispanic mothers cope better with postpartum depression is the focus of a new study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The four-year study – known as Alas, which is Spanish for "wings" – is the first to develop and test a home-visiting intervention specifically for Hispanic mothers with symptoms of depression.

It is funded by an $800,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families.

UNC researchers led by Dr. Linda S. Beeber, a professor at the School of Nursing, will partner with Early Head Start Program staff and Hispanic families and community members in Buncombe, McDowell and Orange counties to create and conduct the tailored intervention for Hispanic mothers in their homes.

The goal is to help these mothers develop skills to deal with symptoms of depression, improve their parenting interactions, aid their infants in their mental health development and learn to take advantage of social support systems like the Early Head Start Program, which strive to improve the long-term mental health of infants and toddlers.

All mothers are subject to depression beyond the "postpartum blues," said Beeber, but low-income Hispanic mothers are at an especially high risk for depression due to the combined factors of social isolation, socioeconomic status, language barriers and difficulties accompanying acculturation.

The combination of these factors, along with a lack of insurance, makes these Hispanic mothers among the least likely to receive any mental health treatment, she said.

If the mother is not treated, her infant can suffer his or her own mental health problems from the

lack of attention and developmental stimulation necessary for proper development, including long-term speech and attention disorders and depression in adulthood, said Beeber.

"Depression robs mothers of their laughter, affectionate play, attentiveness and verbal interactions – these are critical stimuli that help infants and toddlers develop healthy cognitive, emotional and social capabilities," she said.

The intervention, conducted in Spanish and reflecting cultural values, will pair psychiatric-mental health nurses and Early Head Start, or EHS, bilingual staff members as a team to make home visits during a five-month period to 80 Hispanic mothers in Asheville, Marion and Chapel Hill.

The mothers, split into two groups, will be compared at four separate intervals on progress in areas including reduction in symptoms of depression and better parenting interactions. Their infants, ranging in age from six weeks to 30 months, will be measured on developmental maturity and social-emotional competence.

"This is a test of an innovative model of intervention for depressive symptoms in Latina mothers that fits existing procedures already in place in EHS," said Beeber. "The model of the permanent EHS home visitor pairing with a mental health nurse for a short-term intervention is a model that can be replicated in EHS. By helping these mothers with their mental health needs, the mental health of their infant or toddler will be improved directly.

"This study is especially relevant to the people of North Carolina since our Latino population has grown by 393 percent over the past decade," Beeber said. "We believe it will contribute to the growing network of resources that will help our Latino community create a promising future for their children. The Alas logo of a flying bird symbolizes giving mothers the skills and hope to surmount depression."

Postpartum depression lasts beyond the initial weeks after childbirth. Symptoms can include persistent sadness or guilt, the absence of laughter or play with the infant, perceived flaws in the infant or the mother herself and withdrawal from family and friends.

Co-investigators for this study include Drs. Diane Holditch-Davis, professor of nursing; Michael Belyea, research associate professor of nursing; and Krista Perreira, assistant professor of public policy.

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Note: Beeber can be reached at beeber@email.unc.edu or (919) 966-8148

School of Nursing contact: Sunny Smith Nelson, (919) 966-1412