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Prenatal Life Events, Maternal Employment, and Postpartum Depression across a Diverse Population in New York City

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Abstract

This study examined racial/ethnic disparities in three core postpartum depression (PPD) symptoms, and identified specific predictors of PPD including sociodemographic variables, life stressors and maternal employment. White, African American, Hispanic, and Asian/Pacific Islander women from the New York City area (n = 3010) completed the 2009–2011 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. African American women were less likely to have PPD than White women. Maternal employment during the postpartum was associated with an increased likelihood of PPD for White women relative to women who were not employed. Life stressors and maternal employment should be considered as culturally contextualized factors related to postpartum depression.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Bureau of Maternal, Infant and Reproductive Health PRAMS Team, Bureau of Vital Statistics, and the CDC PRAMS Team, Program Services and Development Branch, Division of Reproductive Health. Support for preparing this manuscript was provided through the Commonwealth Research Center (SCDMH82101008006). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of Harvard Medical School and its affiliated academic health care centers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 75 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Cindy H. Liu

  2. Loyola University of Chicago, 1032 W Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL, 60660, USA

    Jenny Phan

  3. University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration, 969 E. 60th Street, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    Miwa Yasui

  4. Claremont McKenna College, 850 Columbia Ave., Claremont, CA, 91711, USA

    Stacey Doan

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  1. Cindy H. Liu
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Correspondence to Cindy H. Liu.

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Liu, C.H., Phan, J., Yasui, M. et al. Prenatal Life Events, Maternal Employment, and Postpartum Depression across a Diverse Population in New York City. Community Ment Health J 54, 410–419 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-017-0171-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-017-0171-2

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