Is Postpartum Depression Diagnosed More Frequently in Specific Racial and Ethnic Groups That Participated in Smartphone Application-Delivered Mental Health Screenings? [ID 1420]

INTRODUCTION: Incidence of postpartum depression (PPD) varies among women of different racial and ethnic backgrounds. The opportunity for mental health screening apps to improve care quality through increased clinician–patient communication within these groups remains largely unexplored. This study investigates whether participation in MOMitor, a health screening smartphone application, is associated with increased PPD diagnosis among women of specific racial groups. METHODS: This cross-sectional, descriptive study analyzed electronic health records from MOMitor, where women reported their physical and mental health status during the 6 weeks after delivery. Charts from 2021 to 2023 were reviewed retrospectively. Incident PDD diagnosis, excluding women with prior depression history, was the outcome. The self-reported race identity groups analyzed included Black (n=193), White (n=421), Asian (n=34), American Indian/Native Alaskan/Native Hawaiian (AI/NA/H; n=33), and other and multiple races (n=162). Proportions of PPD were calculated for groups, and chi-squared analysis assessed differences in PPD distribution. RESULTS: Of the 911 patients reviewed, 68 were excluded due to prior depression history or missing race, resulting in n=843. Sixteen of 193 (8.2%) Black race, 35 of 421 (9.1%) White, 3 of 34 (8.8%) Asian, 3 of 33 AI/NA/H (9.1%), and 12 of 162 (7.4%) other and multiple races had a PPD diagnosis, resulting in non-statistically significant PPD distribution differences across groups ( P =.99). CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Although PPD incidence in digital health intervention participants was lower than national PPD prevalence, there was equitable distribution of diagnoses across self-identified racial identities. This may reflect the effectiveness of recent obstetricians’ inclusive educational initiatives and improved evaluation practices that have encouraged women to share their symptoms openly.