ANN ARBOR—Low-income African American mothers of young children reported high rates of probable depression?in some cases resulting from routine experiences of discrimination, a new University of Michigan study suggests.

The authors examined risk and protective factors for depressive symptoms in 824 African American mothers who had at least one child younger than 6 years of age, living in the 39 poorest census tracts in Detroit. One-third of the mothers reported symptoms indicating possible depression and nearly 19 percent reported symptoms of probable depression.

“The very high prevalence of depressive symptoms is a major concern, particularly given the serious consequences of maternal depression for children’s health and development,” said Kristine Siefert, the study’s lead author and a professor in the School of Social Work.

Mothers who reported frequent experiences of discrimination were much more likely to report symptoms of depression. Siefert noted that although mothers’ mental distress could influence their perceptions of discrimination, a national longitudinal study found no relationship between baseline measures of depression and subsequent reports of discrimination.

Lack of food and living in deteriorated housing also significantly increased the odds of these women feeling depressed, Siefert said.

On the other hand, the odds of depression were lower among people who reported having help with transportation, availability of a financial loan in a crisis, and help with childcare, the study indicated. Mothers with a college education were less likely to be depressed, the study indicated.

The findings support the need for interventions to more effectively address the potential causes of poor mental health. For instance, new policies advocating for adequate funding for food, nutrition assistance programs and childcare programs could be helpful.

The study’s other authors were Tracy Finlayson of UC-Berkeley, David R. Williams of Harvard University, and Jorge Delva and Amid Ismail of the University of Michigan. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Delta Dental Fund of Michigan and appears in the current issue of the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry.

SiefertAmerican Journal of OrthopsychiatrySchool of Social Work