Título:	The happy child program’s intersectionality : prenatal home visit frequency, food insecurity risk, symptoms of depression, and parental practices in brazilian women assisted during pregnancy
Autor(es):	Oliveira, Camila Biete de Gonçalves, Vivian Siqueira Santos Carmo, Ariene Silva do Pizato, Nathalia Marcolini Pelucio
ORCID:	https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7084-2767 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6893-8263 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3421-9495 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5858-7076
Afiliação do autor:	University of Brasilia, Department of Nutrition, Graduate Program in Human Nutrition University of Brasilia, Department of Nutrition, Graduate Program in Public Health, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Graduate Program in Public Health University of Brasilia, Department of Nutrition, Graduate Program in Human Nutrition
Assunto:	Segurança alimentar Gravidez Depressão
Data de publicação:	4-Set-2024
Editora:	MDPI
Referência:	OLIVEIRA, Camila Biete de; GONÇALVES, Vivian Siqueira Santos; CARMO, Ariene Silva do; PIZATO, Nathalia Marcolini Pelucio. The happy child program’s intersectionality: prenatal home visit frequency, food insecurity risk, symptoms of depression, and parental practices in brazilian women assisted during pregnancy. Nutrients, [S. l.], v. 16, n. 17, 2990, 2024. Disponível em: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/17/2990. Acesso em: 10 mar. 2025.
Abstract:	Food insecurity (FI) is a critical issue in developing countries, particularly in low-resource settings, where it can worsen women’s mental health. Psychosocial factors such as low household income, limited education, multiparity, and vulnerability are linked to depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Additionally, the family environment influences parental practices, which may impact mental health. This study evaluates the association of socioeconomic factors, parental practices, FI risk, and home visit frequency with depressive symptoms in pregnant women enrolled in the Happy Child Program (Programa Criança Feliz—PCF) in the Federal District, Brazil. In this crosssectional study, 132 pregnant women monitored by PCF from May to July 2023 were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire for socioeconomic data, the two-item Triage for Food Insecurity (TRIA) instrument for FI risk, the Scale of Parental Beliefs and Early Childhood Care Practices, and the Beck Depression Inventory-II for depressive symptoms. Most participants were multiparous (87.9%), had low income (under 200 USD/month; 80.8%), presented depressive symptoms (67.4%) and were at risk of FI (81.8%). About half demonstrated adequate parental practices (50.8%) and received four home visits per month during pregnancy (54.5%). Women who received four PCF home visits had a lower prevalence of depressive symptoms compared to those with fewer visits (PR 0.76, 95% CI 0.59–0.98). No significant association was found between FI or parental practices and depressive symptoms. These findings suggest that the PCF home-visiting program may strengthen vulnerable families, support social networks, and improve mental health during pregnancy. Additionally, the results of this study highlight the need for targeted interventions aimed at reducing food insecurity and promoting mental health during pregnancy, particularly among socially vulnerable populations. Furthermore, they reinforce the importance of expanding access to home-visiting programs as an effective strategy to improve maternal mental health and well-being, while fostering healthier prenatal environments for both mothers and their children.
Unidade Acadêmica:	Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde (FS) Departamento de Nutrição (FS NUT)
Programa de pós-graduação:	Programa de Pós-Graduação em Nutrição Humana
Licença:	This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/).
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16172990
Aparece nas coleções:	Artigos publicados em periódicos e afins

Os itens no repositório estão protegidos por copyright, com todos os direitos reservados, salvo quando é indicado o contrário.