297119
Teen mothers' mental health: A call for action based on the State of the Science
![142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual](images/banner.jpg)
Description: This State of the Science reviews what is known about teen mothers’ psychological distress (symptoms of depression, anxiety, and trauma) and its long-term impact on maternal-child physical and mental health. Recent advances in the neurobiology of chronic stress and mental health interventions are also reviewed.
Lessons Learned: Efforts to improve teen mothers’ mental health lag far behind evidence-based interventions to improve other maternal-child outcomes. Teen mothers are poorly served by the mental health system. The current focus on postpartum depression neglects comorbid conditions. Intervention studies are rare and do not address comorbidities.
Implications/Recommendations: Failure to address psychological distress contributes to major public health problems in the U.S. This review calls for perinatal screening of comorbid mental health conditions and for research into effective treatment. Integrating mental health care into programs already serving teen mothers should receive the highest priority. Moving in this direction requires the testing of models that enhance the efforts of front line staff (teachers, childcare providers, and home visitors) to provide trauma-informed psychological support.
Learning Areas:
Other professions or practice related to public healthPlanning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related nursing
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Describe the neurobiology of chronic stress and its implications for the long-term physical and mental health of teen mothers and their children.
Describe four factors that increase teen mothers’ vulnerability to psychological distress.
List four reasons that teen mothers rarely seek mental health care.
Identify three strategies for improving teen mothers’ mental health.
Keyword(s): Child/Adolescent Mental Health, Teen Pregnancy
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal investigator of many studies on teen mothers and their families. This paper is based on an extensive search of the literature regarding the prevalence of teen mothers' psychological distress and the public health implications of neglecting this important issue.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.