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Psychosocial and Cultural Considerations in Detecting and Treating Depression in Latina Perinatal Women in the United States

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Perinatal Depression among Spanish-Speaking and Latin American Women

Abstract

This chapter will provide a current synthesis of the literature on psychosocial and cultural factors relevant to treatment for perinatal depression among Latina women living in the United States. “Treatment” will be broadly defined to address the scope of treatment possibilities. The chapter will cover three main areas. First, we will provide an overview of the cultural understanding of and care for perinatal depression. Current data regarding prevalence, risk factors, and issues surrounding acculturation of Latina women in the United States will be reviewed.

Second, we will present and discuss issues surrounding access and barriers to standard mental health care systems and treatments in the United States. We will include the development and use of screening tools for Spanish-speaking women, and the use of nonmental health care settings as potential sites for the identification and treatment of maternal depression.

Third, we shall present and discuss the current state of treatment interventions for perinatal depression among Latina women, using a very broad definition, including both traditional and American mental health systems and treatments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 300 Crittenden Boulevard, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA

    Emma Robertson Blackmore M.Phil., Ph.D. & Linda Chaudron M.D., M.S.

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  1. Emma Robertson Blackmore M.Phil., Ph.D.
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  2. Linda Chaudron M.D., M.S.
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Correspondence to Emma Robertson Blackmore M.Phil., Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

    Sandraluz Lara-Cinisomo

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Katherine Leah Wisner

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Blackmore, E.R., Chaudron, L. (2014). Psychosocial and Cultural Considerations in Detecting and Treating Depression in Latina Perinatal Women in the United States. In: Lara-Cinisomo, S., Wisner, K. (eds) Perinatal Depression among Spanish-Speaking and Latin American Women. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8045-7_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-8045-7_6

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