title: Stress and the social determinants of maternal health among Puerto Rican women: a CBPR approach.
abstract: This qualitative research project explores how poverty, the built environment, education, working conditions, health care access, food insecurity and perceived discrimination are experienced by Puerto Rican Latinas through the course of their lives. Five focus groups were conducted with the primary objective of documenting community experiences and perspectives regarding: 1) stress, including perceived discrimination based on race/ethnicity (racism); 2) the impact of stress on Puerto Rican women of reproductive age, their families, and/or their community; and 3) stressors that affect maternal health. Focus groups were conducted in English and Spanish in the two cities with the highest rates of premature birth and low infant birthweight in the state of Connecticut. Focus group findings indicate that participants perceived poverty, food insecurity, lack of access to quality education, and unsafe environments as significant life stressors affecting maternal and child health.
authors.affiliation: Hispanic Health Council, Hartford, CT 06106, USA. angelabmillam@gmail.com
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bermúdez-Millán
authors.forename: Grace
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Damio
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.forename: Sofia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Segura-Pérez
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hromi-Fiedler
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pérez-Escamilla
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003237:Connecticut; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D005523:Food Supply; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008429:Maternal Welfare / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000208:ethnology; D011287:Prejudice; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
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