Diabetes, Prenatal Depression, and Self-Rated Health in Latina Mothers

BACKGROUND. Latinas in the United States have elevated rates of diabetes and prenatal depression (PND). The presence of diabetes and PND can also have a negative effect on women’s self-rated health (SRH), a commonly used indicator of health that is consistent with objective health status and is a predictor of mortality. However, the associations between PND, diabetes, and SRH have not been tested, particularly among Latinas, who have elevated risk of both medical conditions. To address this gap, this pilot study tested the association between PND and diabetes using data from Latinas enrolled during their third trimester of pregnancy and explored whether these health conditions were associated with SRH in these women. METHODS. For this study, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to determine PND status, self-reported medical history to determine diabetes status, and SRH before and during the current pregnancy in a sample of 34 prenatal Latinas. Participants were invited to take part in the study in their third trimester of pregnancy. Bivariate analyses and logistic regressions were used to test associations between demographic variables, PND, diabetes, and SRH. RESULTS. There was no significant association between PND and diabetes status in this sample of Latinas. There was a significant difference in SRH from pre-pregnancy to pregnancy, with worse ratings reported during pregnancy. Furthermore, women with PND or diabetes reported worse SRH, even after controlling for pre-pregnancy SRH. CONCLUSION. SRH is an important and robust variable associated with PND and diabetes in prenatal Latinas, making it an important factor to assess when treating this high-risk group.