May’s Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month campaigns are actively targeting perinatal complications and fighting to close the gap in care EXPERT Q&A ANN ARBOR—Twenty percent of women experience mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, during pregnancy and the first year of parenthood. Kara Zivin, a professor of psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology at… Continue reading Mothers in silence: 1 in 5 experience perinatal mental illness, yet most go untreated
News Tag: Family & Relationships
Convoys of Caregiving: Arab American Families Living with Dementia
Listen to the Michigan Medicine podcast, Minding Memory, interview with Kristine Ajrouch, PhD Jump to Transcript In this episode, Matt & Lauren speak with Kristine Ajrouch, PhD – a new member of our CAPRA leadership team. Kristine is a Research Professor at the Institute for Social Research whose work focuses on aging, health, immigration and family in the United Statues and… Continue reading Convoys of Caregiving: Arab American Families Living with Dementia
Family care expectations clash with shrinking availability, dementia needs
ANN ARBOR—Americans believe that the family as a whole—especially a spouse or partner—is responsible for caring for an older adult. Biological and stepchildren have the next highest levels of obligation, according to a new University of Michigan study. Even though with lighter responsibilities, many believe that lifelong friends also should pitch in. And when an… Continue reading Family care expectations clash with shrinking availability, dementia needs
Births down, wages up: U-M study links historic birth rate drop to closing gender pay gap
ANN ARBOR—As the U.S. birth rate reaches historic lows in 2025, these declines fuel economic change as the year comes to an end. A University of Michigan study showed that low U.S. fertility has led to gains in pay equity. Eight percent of the narrowing gender pay gap came from women having fewer children. The… Continue reading Births down, wages up: U-M study links historic birth rate drop to closing gender pay gap
Lending a hand to close friends boosts daily mood in older adults
ANN ARBOR—Providing practical help to a close friend—such as picking up medication, cooking a meal or helping with household chores—may be linked to a more positive mood among older adults in daily life. However, there are potential gender differences: Older men are less likely than women to provide emotional support to friends, and if they… Continue reading Lending a hand to close friends boosts daily mood in older adults
Happily ever after in marriage: Unwavering spousal support
ANN ARBOR—It’s the question many young couples ask those in long-term marriages: What’s the secret to a successful marriage? For African American couples who have flourished for decades together, unwavering spousal support is the magic ingredient, according to a study led by University of Michigan researchers. Respondents in the study who indicated that they had… Continue reading Happily ever after in marriage: Unwavering spousal support
Research Shows Economic Consequences of Divorce in the US Vary by Gender, Race, and Ethnicity
Recent research led by University of Michigan sociologist Pamela Smock has shown that the economic consequences of divorce vary substantially– not only on the basis of gender, which has long been established, but also on the basis of race and ethnicity. Findings published in the Journal of Family and Economic Issues documented disparate effects of… Continue reading Research Shows Economic Consequences of Divorce in the US Vary by Gender, Race, and Ethnicity
‘It takes a village’: Community-led approach can reduce youth suicide risk
ANN ARBOR—Empowering everyday community members to lead suicide prevention efforts—by promoting wellness, strengthening relationships and implementing tailored actions—can significantly reduce the risk among youth. Instead of relying solely on crisis-based mental health services, a new University of Michigan study offers a promising solution by demonstrating how community-driven approaches, skill-building and local collaboration have tackled Alaska… Continue reading ‘It takes a village’: Community-led approach can reduce youth suicide risk
1 in 4 kids live with parents who have alcohol, other drug problems, U-M study finds
Updated estimates point to need for more treatment ANN ARBOR—A large percentage of American children are growing up in households with at least one parent who uses alcohol or other drugs in problematic ways—raising the risk that those children will go on to do the same, a new study suggests. Using data from 2023 to give… Continue reading 1 in 4 kids live with parents who have alcohol, other drug problems, U-M study finds
Unpaid caregivers find moments of joy in daily life
ANN ARBOR—Debunking the myth that unpaid caregivers are sacrificing most of their time and joy, a University of Michigan study found that caregivers spend most of the day engaged in other pleasant activities. Whether through religious practices, physical activity or other fulfilling pursuits, the study shows that these activities offer meaningful moments of joy that can offset… Continue reading Unpaid caregivers find moments of joy in daily life