Patient Activation in the Postpartum Period by Race, Ethnicity, and Spoken Language.
Sarah E Harkins, Janice J Aubey, Jessica S Ancker and 4 others
PMID 41825855WHAT IT FOUND
Most postpartum women sought help when they needed it, but Spanish-speaking Hispanic women scored lower on patient activation.
Nurses should tailor postpartum education and resources.
Key findings
01Most respondents reported needing health professional support for postpartum physical symptoms (371, 79.6%) or mental health symptoms (332, 74.4%), and nearly all who needed support took action (363, 97.8% physical; 319, 96.1% mental).
02Spanish-speaking Hispanic respondents reported lower activation than all other groups (90, 52.6%; p < .01, Cramér’s V = .26).
03English-speaking Hispanic respondents were significantly more likely than all other groups to report needing mental health support (98, 83.5%; p = .03, Cramér’s V = .14).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The design was cross-sectional and self-reported, so it cannot show why groups differed or whether any care change would improve outcomes. The online sampling service recruited from existing panels, and the authors note that participants may have been more comfortable seeking care, may have answered in a socially desirable way, or may have responded differently because of question wording. Small numbers among respondents who did not seek care prevented analysis of reasons by demographic group. The groups did not capture Black people who identify as Hispanic, or differences among Hispanic subgroups by country of origin. The supplied text does not state the final sample size.
Declared interests
Laura Riley is an UpToDate contributor and advisory board member for the New England Journal of Medicine and Contemporary OB/GYN, has been a Medscape speaker, and is an expert reviewer for Pfizer on the RSV vaccine. Alison Hermann is also an UpToDate contributor, a co-founder and medical consultant for Iris Ob Health, and a consultant for Progyny. The supplied text does not state who funded the study.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that Spanish-speaking Hispanic postpartum women are less motivated or that lower activation causes unmet needs. This survey is cross-sectional, self-reported, and may overstate action taken because of sample and response biases, so it cannot show why activation differed or that tailored nursing education will improve outcomes.