NURS FPX 6026 Assessment 1 Analysis of Position Papers for Vulnerable Populations EZ ​​​​​​​Analysis of Position Papers for Vulnerable Populations Postpartum Depression in Latina Women NURS FPX 6026 Assessment 1 Analysis of Position Papers for Vulnerable Populations EZ

As a society, the importance of maternal mental health is often overlooked. Perinatal mood disorder, most referred to as postpartum depression (PPD), occurs during and after pregnancy for many women. Women can experience difficulty bonding with their newborns because of PPD which can lead to sleep disturbances, poor feeding, or cognitive defects for the infant. Unfortunately, some groups of women are at higher risk for PPD than others. Women of color experience worse maternal and child health outcomes compared to White women (Sampson et al., 2021). Latinas are affected by postpartum depression two to three times higher than the general population (Ponting et al., 2020). Postpartum in Latinas is a significant issue because Latinos make up approximately 17% of the total U.S. population and the number is expected to more than double in the next 40 years (Sampson et al., 2018).

In obstetrics, depression and anxiety symptoms are assessed using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Physicians use the EPDS because it takes less than five minutes to complete and is quite easy to administer. EPDS is a list of questions consisting of ten self-reported questions based on the expectant mother’s level of health literacy (Lyubenova et al., 2021). EPDS is the most used depression screening tool for women in pregnancy or postpartum. The EPDS can be found in many languages. If the questionnaire totals to a score of ten or higher it is indicative of depression. The expectant mothers should complete the EPDS before and after they give birth, ideally during all prenatal and postpartum appointments.

Barriers to Care

Expectant mothers younger than 24 years of age, Medicaid insured, or do not speak English are less likely to receive adequate screenings (Ponting et al., 2020). Language barriers and miscommunication are some of the hurdles Latina women face during their obstetric appointments. Latina women have not been the subject of many studies regarding PPD until recent years (Khanlari et al., 2019). Historically, clinicians who work with the Latina population are unaware of the cultural constraints, struggles or stigmas they experience. Different cultures may present or verbalize their symptoms in different ways (Sampson et al., 2021). Involving an interprofessional team that is culturally diverse and knowledgeable of the different signs of PPD in diverse populations is imperative.