We aimed to explore factors affecting prenatal care attendance and preferences for prenatal care experiences among low-income black women by conducting a focus group study using a community-based participatory research framework and nominal group technique. Discussions were audiorecorded, transcribed, and coded by trained reviewers. Friends/family and baby's health were the top attendance motivators. Greatest barriers were insurance, transportation, and ambivalence. Facilitators included transportation services, social support, and resource education. In a "perfect system," women wanted continuity of care, personal connection, and caring/respect from providers. Relationship-centered maternity care models may mitigate disparities. Group prenatal care may provide the continuity and support system desired.
Postpartum depression is a serious and common psychiatric illness. Mothers living in poverty are more likely to be depressed and have greater barriers to accessing treatment than the general population. Mental health utilization is particularly limited for women with postpartum depression and low-income, minority women. As part of an academic-community partnership, focus groups were utilized to examine staff practices, barriers, and facilitators in mental health referrals for women with depression within a community nonprofit agency serving low-income pregnant and postpartum women. The focus groups were analyzed through content analyses and NVIVO-8. Three focus groups with 16 community health workers were conducted. Six themes were identified: (1) screening and referral, (2) facilitators to referral, (3) barriers to referral, (4) culture and language, (5) life events, and (6) support. The study identified several barriers and facilitators for referring postpartum women with depression to mental health services.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.