title: Prevalence and Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in Pregnant African American Women.
abstract: African American women may be especially vulnerable to antepartum depression, a major health concern during pregnancy. This study investigated the prevalence and predictors of depressive symptoms in a sample of African American women who were between 14-17 weeks pregnant, a timeframe that is typically thought to be a time of general well-being. Two-thirds reported a CES-D score ≥ 16 indicative of depressive symptomatology. Age, perceived stress (as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale [PSS]), and anxiety (as measured by the State Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI]) predicted depressive symptoms; the interaction between PSS and STAI scores was also a significant predictor. Our study findings suggest that early identification of stress and anxiety, in addition to depressive symptoms, is vital for intervention with this group.
authors.affiliation: a Virginia Commonwealth University , School of Nursing , Richmond , Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jallo
authors.affiliation: a Virginia Commonwealth University , School of Nursing , Richmond , Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Elswick
authors.affiliation: a Virginia Commonwealth University , School of Nursing , Richmond , Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kinser
authors.affiliation: b Virginia Commonwealth University, Department of Family Medicine and Population Health, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Institute for Women's Health , Richmond , Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: Saba
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masho
authors.affiliation: c Virginia Commonwealth University , School of Social Work , Richmond , Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: Sarah Kye
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: d Virginia Commonwealth University, Departments of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Institute for Women's Health , Richmond , Virginia , USA.
authors.forename: Dace S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Svikis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult