title: Improving Prenatal Care for Minority Women.
abstract: Since the inception of prenatal care in the early 1900s, the focus of care has been on risk reduction rather than on health promotion. Prenatal care began as individualized care, but more recently group prenatal care has been shown to be very successful in improving birth outcomes. For all women, an emphasis on improving health behaviors is important at this critical time while women are engaging regularly with the healthcare system. An emphasis on mental health promotion may decrease some of the disparities in birth outcomes that are well documented between minority and majority women, as minority women are known to experience increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Providing support for pregnant women and incorporating knowledge and skills through prenatal care may promote both physical and mental health in minority women.
authors: Susan Gennaro is the Dean and Professor, Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA. Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk is the Dean and Professor, School of Nursing, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH. Caitlin O'Connor is a Research Assistant, Connell School of Nursing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA. The author can be reached via e-mail at caitlin.dacey@bc.edu. Anne M. Gibeau is the Director of Nurse Midwifery, Jacobi Medical Center, Bronx, NY. Ellen Nadel is a Student, Columbia University School of Nursing, New York, NY.
authors: Susan
authors: S
authors: Gennaro
authors: Bernadette Mazurek
authors: BM
authors: Melnyk
authors: Caitlin
authors: C
authors: OʼConnor
authors: Anne M
authors: AM
authors: Gibeau
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Nadel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking; D014481:United States / Q000208:ethnology