Addressing Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) through a Doula Intervention

Modified Project Summary/Abstract Section Enter the text here that is the new abstract information for your application. This section must be no longer than 30 lines of text. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are the most frequently experienced childbirth complication and have adverse and intergenerational impacts on health. PMADs are particularly common in rural populations, and birth support doulas may be one way to address gaps in healthcare access and improve maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes. The aims of this research are: 1) Assess the use of doulas to improve self-efficacy, support, and maternal health outcomes for rural populations; 2) Develop a doula intervention to improve self-efficacy, support, and maternal health in rural populations; and 3) Pilot a doula-led intervention to improve self-efficacy, support, and maternal health outcomes. Using the NIMH’s experimental therapeutics approach, I will assess the underlying mechanism impacting these outcomes by focusing on how doulas improve self-efficacy and support among their clients. I will follow Whitbeck’s (2006) model for adaptation of interventions and community-based participatory research (CBPR) best practices to develop an intervention using doulas to improve PMADs and secondary health outcomes. The proposed research uses synthesized qualitative data regarding the PMAD needs of rural populations, and the feasibility of using doulas to improve PMAD health outcomes (N=33), with quantitative data on the use of doulas and peer-support models to develop and test a doula-led intervention. A mixed-methods approach will be used to analyze findings from intervention participants (N=75). This project will provide preliminary data for the adaptation of the intervention for use with other rural populations.