Spanish resources available for pregnancy-related depression, anxiety

    The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has launched a pregnancy-related depression and anxiety educational campaign for Spanish-speaking pregnant women and new moms. The campaign raises awareness of the symptoms and commonality of pregnancy-related depression and anxiety, and the support available for Latinas.
    “Mental health is a heavily stigmatized subject in the Hispanic culture and is easily denied and overlooked,” said Dr. Yajaira Johnson-Esparza, a licensed clinical psychologist at Salud Family Health Centers and member of the state’s Spanish-Language Pregnancy-Related Depression Task Force. “It's vital for moms to know they are not alone and that Colorado resources do exist for our community and culture.”
    Women of color experience pregnancy-related depression and anxiety at rates double the average for all women. The experience often reflects a number of complex stress factors, including lower education, lower wages and less social support, as well as community-level gaps in services for referral and treatment.

The full article is available in our e-Edition. Click here to subscribe.