University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

Self-Management of Postpartum Fatigue in Poor Urban Women
Investigator: Jennifer Doering, PhD, RN
Co-Investigator: Karen H. Morin, DSN, RN
Postpartum depression is a multifaceted public health problem. The long-term goal of this research program is the reduction of depression-related health disparities in lower-income urban women.

The specific purpose is to test the feasibility of:

• a targeted intervention to enhance self-management of postpartum fatigue and sleep

Given previous findings of a strong relationship between postpartum fatigue and depressive symptoms in the first postpartum month, a clinically valuable intervention should reduce early postpartum fatigue and continue to suppress it over several months to slow or stop the trajectory toward postpartum depression.

The intent is to develop and pilot an intervention targeting the first postpartum weeks, using a randomized, controlled trial design sampling lower-income urban women. Evaluation will focus on feasibility and cost related to effect on postpartum fatigue, sleep and select health outcomes.