Did you know that depression during the perinatal period is the most common complication of pregnancy and childbirth, affecting 1 in 8 women in the United States? Also, women in rural areas are disproportionately more likely to experience depression during the perinatal period due to the closing of labor and delivery units and mental health facilities in rural communities. The lack of patient-centered and effective depression screening, referral and treatment in rural areas may worsen large rural‐urban disparities in maternal and child health outcomes.
This purpose of this two-day conference is to gather PCORI (Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute) funded research groups and partners including patients, providers, and health system leaders to advance patient-centered research on perinatal depression in rural communities. This conference will expand our existing local efforts to reach a regional and rural audience of partners and build their potential to participate in community engaged research.
Join us as we hear from health leaders and their community partners with expertise in perinatal depression, engaging rural communities and health systems to improve maternal and child health outcomes. They will share how they are working to raise awareness about mental health research in rural communities. The talks will be followed by patient-led panel discussions with conference attendees to share their stories and further explore how the topic applies to their communities.