Neighborhood socioeconomic status and postpartum depression among commercial health insurance enrollees: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a prevalent psychological condition. Although the effect of obstetrical and maternal complications on PPD are well described, the impact of neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) on PPD is relatively unexplored.

Objectives: This study examined the relationship between neighborhood SES score and PPD.

Methods: A summary SES measure for each U.S. zip code was constructed using income, education, and occupational 2021 Census data and linked to national commercial claims for 2017-2023. PPD status using diagnosis codes at outpatient and inpatient visits, and prescription drug use 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postpartum, were determined. Multivariate analysis controlled for potential confounders.

Results: PPD prevalence in commercial claims was 11.48%. Patients with PPD had higher rates of obstetrical (OR: 1.555, p < .0001) and maternal complications (OR: 1.145, p < .0001), and more lifestyle risk factors (OR: 1.113, p < .0001). Comorbidity scores were higher for patients with PPD. Controlling for age and clinical factors, living in a disadvantaged neighborhood was associated with an increased incidence of PPD (OR: 1.137, p < .0001).

Limitations: Claims data may include potential inaccurate coding of diagnoses/procedures. Clinical information is limited to conditions and treatments defined by ICD-10-CM codes. Area-based SES measures inevitably misclassify people on both ends of the socioeconomic spectrum (this misclassification is random; direction of bias is known).

Conclusions: The inverse and significant effect of area-based high SES on PPD rates demonstrates that preventive efforts may require interventions focusing on both the patient and the lived environment.