Pamela L. Thornton, MSW, PhD¹, Edith C. Kieffer, MPH, PhD², Yamir Salabarría-Peña, MPH, DrPH³, Angela Odoms-Young, PhD⁴, Sharla K. Willis, DrPH⁵, and Helen Kim, MA, MSW¹. (1) Social Environment and Health Program / Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan, P.O. Box 1248, Office 3360, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1248, 734-647-9611, pthornt@umich.edu, (2) University of Michigan School of Social Work, 1080 S. University, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106, (3) Health Services Research and Evaluation Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Road, Mailstop E-80, Atlanta, GA 30333, (4) Public and Community Health Program, Northern Illinois University School of Allied Health, College of Health and Human Sciences, Dekalb, IL 60115, (5) Ohio State University School of Public Health, 320 West 10th Ave., B209 Starling-Loving Hall, Columbus, OH 43210

INTRODUCTION

Several studies have examined the linkage between social support, maternal health behaviors such as prenatal care participation and some pregnancy outcomes. Social support may be particularly important in minority populations since extended family networks play an integral role in daily life and may vary by culture and environmental context. However, few studies have analyzed the role of social support in diet, weight maintenance and physical activity among pregnant and postpartum African American and Latino women.

METHODS

This study conducted dyad analyses of data derived from semi-structured in-depth individual interviews conducted in 2000-2001 in Detroit to examine the role of social support in the weight and lifestyle-related beliefs and practices of 20 pregnant and postpartum African American and Latino women, and 20 people they identified as influential. Atlas/Ti software was used to code and aggregate text data; inter-rater reliability was monitored during the development and application of codes/categories. Data within and across categories were reviewed to construct themes and identify characteristic patterns in social support and health-related behaviors.

RESULTS

For both groups, social and physical environmental factors presented barriers to healthy eating and physical activity. Key influences on self-image, ideas and actions were mothers, partners and media among African American women; and husbands, mothers and the absence of extended family among Latino women. This presentation will further characterize these influences with an emphasis on environmental contexts.

IMPLICATIONS

Findings suggest an ecological approach should be used to improve social support and community-level resources for low-income, minority pregnant and postpartum women.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• List the key influential persons (e.g., mother, partner, etc.) in the lives of the minority women studied (i.e., African American and Latino pregnant and postpartum women in Detroit);
• Describe how social support influences the ideas and actions of the minority women studied;
• Describe implications of findings for interventions that might be employed to improve diet/eating patterns and physical activity of the minority women studied.

Keywords: Maternal Health, Health Disparities

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.