English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
Esperanto
French
German
Greek
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Urdu
Perinatal depression – depression that develops during pregnancy or the first 12 months after birth – affects up to 20% of women in the United States, severely impacting the health and well-being of mothers and children, with low-income and Black women disproportionally impacted.
Perinatal depression is preventable, yet social barriers and mental health stigma among low-income and Black women often limits their access to preventive care. COVID-19 has increased the urgency of developing mobile phone-based approaches for providing mental health care services in ways that reach those most vulnerable.
Using this grant, Rokicki will build a partnership between the Rutgers School of Public Health and the Central Jersey Family Health Consortium to develop community-engaged approaches that address perinatal depression in central New Jersey communities.
“Preliminary data generated by this study will inform the development of a novel community health worker-supported and mobile health integrated intervention for the prevention of perinatal depression,” said Rokicki. “The ultimate goal of this funding is to facilitate a long-term and equitable partnership, between the community and Rutgers – that is guided by the principles of health equity and social justice – to improve the health and well-being of New Jersey’s mothers and babies.”
###
Rutgers School of Public Health The Rutgers School of Public Health – New Jersey’s leading academic institution in public health – is committed to advancing health and wellbeing and preventing disease throughout New Jersey, the United States, and the world, by preparing students as public health leaders, scholars, and practitioners; conducting public health research and scholarship; engaging collaboratively with communities and populations; and actively advocating for policies, programs, and services through the lens of equity and social justice. Learn how the Rutgers School of Public Health is “keeping the ‘public’ in public health,” by visiting them at https://sph.rutgers.edu.
