title: Changes in experiences with discrimination across pregnancy and postpartum: age differences and consequences for mental health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to contribute to growing research and theory suggesting the importance of examining patterns of change over time and critical life periods to fully understand the effects of discrimination on health, with a focus on the period of pregnancy and postpartum and mental health outcomes.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used hierarchical linear modeling to examine changes across pregnancy and postpartum in everyday discrimination and the resulting consequences for mental health among predominantly Black and Latina, socioeconomically disadvantaged young women who were receiving prenatal care in New York City.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patterns of change in experiences with discrimination varied according to age. Among the youngest participants, discrimination increased from the second to third trimesters and then decreased to lower than the baseline level by 1 year postpartum; among the oldest participants, discrimination decreased from the second trimester to 6 months postpartum and then returned to the baseline level by 1 year postpartum. Within-subjects changes in discrimination over time predicted changes in depressive and anxiety symptoms at subsequent points. Discrimination more strongly predicted anxiety symptoms among participants reporting food insecurity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support a life course approach to understanding the impact of experiences with discrimination on health and when to intervene.
authors.affiliation: Lisa Rosenthal is with the Psychology Department, Pace University, New York, NY. Valerie A. Earnshaw, Jessica B. Lewis, and Jeannette R. Ickovics are with the Yale School of Public Health and the Yale Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS, Yale University, New Haven, CT. Tené T. Lewis is with the Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. Allecia E. Reid is with the Psychology Department, Colby College, Waterville, ME. Emily C. Stasko is with the Department of Psychology, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA. Jonathan N. Tobin is with the Clinical Directors Network, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: Valerie A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Earnshaw
authors.forename: Tené T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Allecia E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Jessica B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Stasko
authors.forename: Jonathan N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Tobin
authors.forename: Jeannette R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ickovics
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology*; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D063505:Racism / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult