The Impact of Neighborhood Environment, Social Support, and Avoidance Coping on Depressive Symptoms of Pregnant African-American Women.

Background: Although depressive symptoms during pregnancy have been related to negative maternal and child health outcomes such as preterm birth, low birth weight infants, postpartum depression, and maladaptive mother-infant interactions, studies on the impact of neighborhood environment on depressive symptoms in pregnant women are limited. Pregnant women residing in disadvantaged neighborhoods reported higher levels of depressive symptoms and lower levels of social support. No researchers have examined the relationship between neighborhood environment and avoidance coping in pregnant women.

Relationships among neighborhood environment, racial discrimination, psychological distress, and preterm birth in African American women.

Objectives: To (a) examine the relationships among objective and perceived indicators of neighborhood environment, racial discrimination, psychological distress, and gestational age at birth; (b) determine if neighborhood environment and racial discrimination predicted psychological distress; (c) determine if neighborhood environment, racial discrimination, and psychological distress predicted preterm birth; and (d) determine if psychological distress mediated the effects of neighborhood environment and racial discrimination on preterm birth.

Design: Descriptive correlational comparative.

Setting: Postpartum unit of a medical center in Chicago.