Navigating Black Maternal Mental Health and Well-Being

In the field of maternal health, navigating the complexities of Black maternal mental wellbeing remains pivotal. It entails confronting systemic barriers, such as racial disparities in healthcare access and societal stigmas that uniquely impact Black women. To effectively address these challenges, a comprehensive approach to healthcare practices, community support networks, destigmatization, and policy advocacy is essential when prioritizing the mental health and wellbeing of Black mothers and their families. Navigating Black Maternal Mental Health and Well-Being explores the intersection of race, gender, and socioeconomics regarding mental health and maternal care. The management of mental health in Black communities during the postpartum journey is understood through critical evidence-based approaches in trauma-informed care and maternal education. This book covers topics such as perinatal bereavement care, family dynamics, and postpartum health, and is a useful resource for medical professionals, doctors, researchers, academicians, healthcare workers, and sociologists.

Author Biography

Dr. Rahmatu Kassimu , also known as Dr. K., is a dynamic figure in education, public health, and motivation. With a rich background as an educator, researcher, public health consultant, and change agent, she has spent the past decade empowering students and educators to advocate for themselves on their educational journeys. Dr. Kassimu’s diverse educational background, spanning Sociology, Public Health, Health Studies, and Educational Leadership, fuels her passion for education, improved quality of life, and enhanced health equity. Her platform, Dr. K.’s Health Minute, delivers courses, academic writing coaching, and accessible health and wellness information, driven by her commitment to reduce health disparities, promote health equity, enhance health literacy, and expand academic opportunities. Her publications include recommendations and best practices in mental health, Black maternal health, and health inequities. Dr. Elizabeth Wachira is an Associate Professor at East Texas A&M Commerce and Public Health program director. Her research aims to understand the often-covert pathways of oppression and injustices that marginalized populations face. She aims to inform and expand authentic, lived-experienced knowledge on health vulnerabilities as determinants of health among marginalized individuals. As an educator, through service-learning, her students do a community needs assessment to implement initiatives that have community impact, such as a peer led mental health promotion program for campus students.