A Case Study of Postpartum Stress, Coping, and Health Among Native American Mothers and Application of the Nursing as Caring Theory.

The purpose of this article is to highlight postpartum stress and coping among Native American women and its impact on overall health and well-being. Exploring these provides a foundation for providing culturally relevant nursing from a caring framework. In this case study and secondary analysis, 17 women who identified as Native American were included and compared with 17 White women. Respondents were at least 18 years of age, were English speaking, resided in the United States, had Internet access, and had a child they had given birth to who was between 2 and 22 months of age. Five measures were analyzed and included the Perceived Stress Scale, Sources of Stress-Revised, Postpartum Coping Scale, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System, and Global Health survey. The findings of this case study and secondary analysis among Native American women can serve as the foundation for further exploratory studies that elucidate how women manage stress and cope during the postpartum period. There is a need for culturally tailored resources for Native American women during postpartum, such as community-engaged activities and classes. Finally, there is an increased need to continue contributing to the body of knowledge regarding how Native American women find meaningful support during postpartum that is reflective of the Native American worldviews and grounded in culturally relevant care.