Although Black women are twice as likely as white women to develop perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), such as postpartum depression, they’re less likely to seek mental health treatment.

“Black patients report racial discrimination in medical settings and worse communication with white doctors, which may be why they’re also more likely to decline therapy or medication,” said Eynav Accortt, PhD, director of the Reproductive Psychology Program at Cedars-Sinai.

That’s why Cedars-Sinai has teamed up with two community partners, Candlelit Care and Maternal Mental Health Now, to launch a new study to see whether the use of a mobile health app can improve psychological symptoms and birth outcomes for pregnant Black women and limit their experiences of discrimination in medical settings. The Resources, Inspiration, Support, Empowerment (RISE) for Black Maternal Mental Health trial, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health, aims to recruit 150 pregnant Black women throughout the United States to participate.

For the full story, please visit Blackdoctor.org