Abstract

Perinatal Mood Disorders (PMDs) are the leading complication in pregnancies today. They stretch beyond the mother and can affect fathers and non-biological parents or guardians as well. The negative implications of these disorders diffuse out through the family into society as a catalyst for hindered child development, attachment disorders, lower cognitive abilities, and behavioral issues. They often have a profoundly negative effect on the family unit such as causing higher rates of violence, divorce, and loss of work. Parents experiencing mood disorders often have lower compliance rates when it comes to safety measures, such as using child car seats and attending regular wellness visits. Furthermore, these disorders largely go unidentified and untreated due to a combination of social stigma and an ineffective screening process. The proposed system, MyDoula, will address these medical, social, and economic issues by creating a wearable and interactive application platform that will save time and deliver more accurate identification rates to healthcare professionals. As a result, it will provide an opportunity for preventative treatments that can ultimately improve patient outcomes.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Postpartum psychiatric disorders--Prevention--Interactive multimedia--Design; Perinatology--Interactive multimedia--Design; Childbirth--Psychological aspects--Interactive multimedia--Design; Parenthood--Psychological aspects--Interactive multimedia--Design

Publication Date

12-2019

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Visual Communication Design (MFA)

Department, Program, or Center

School of Design (CAD)

Advisor

Adam Smith

Advisor/Committee Member

Joel Rosen

Advisor/Committee Member

Keli DiRisio

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

VISCOM-MFA

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