Minority Mental Health Month: Focus on Maternal Health

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health reports that racial and ethnic minority groups are less likely to receive treatment for mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders. Maternal mood disorders, a leading complication of pregnancy and childbirth, can affect any woman, as noted in Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data From Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 38 U.S. States, 2020. However, according to Social and Structural Determinants of Health Inequities in Maternal Health, Black women are particularly at risk due to increased stress, health disadvantages, and structural inequities.

Fostering community engagement can be pivotal in improving Black maternal mental health outcomes during pregnancy and the postpartum period. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) defines community engagement as the process of working collaboratively with and through groups of people affiliated by geographic proximity, special interest, or similar situations to address issues affecting their well-being. As noted in Guiding Principles for Improving Black Maternal Health Through Community Collaboration (PDF), taking a community-engaged approach to designing programs to improve Black maternal mental health ensures that the voices, perspectives, and insights of Black women inform these efforts.

Westat’s Work

Westat partners with federal agencies like the NIH to address maternal health issues. For example, Westat supports the NIH-funded Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL), which promotes community-driven research in communities disproportionately affected by racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic health inequities. One team, part of the CEAL Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone Community Implementation Program (IMPROVE-CIP), aims to promote maternal mental health in Black communities through culturally responsive, community-engaged doulas.

Westat uses several strategies to support IMPROVE-CIP teams and other CEAL programs. For example, we identify and facilitate opportunities for information sharing and scientific collaboration across teams conducting community-engaged research. We also provide technical assistance and training on topics such as implementation science and equitable evaluation.

Through its work with CEAL and other projects, Westat empowers communities to be equal and active partners in research. By centering Black women’s needs, priorities, values, and preferences, we can ensure that solutions for maternal mental health are relevant, impactful, and sustainable.

Note from the authors

In this Insight, the terms “women” and “maternal” are used to refer to individuals who are pregnant or give birth. However, we acknowledge and affirm that not all people who experience pregnancy or childbirth identify as women or mothers. We recognize and respect the diversity of gender identities and expressions and strive to be inclusive and respectful of all individuals, regardless of their gender identity or expression.

Contributed by Cathrina Aris, a Westat summer intern, Public Health; and Nicole Harlaar, PhD, a Principal Research Associate, Public Health.