Purpose:  

Mental health conditions are the leading cause of pregnancy-related deaths in the United States. Evidence suggests that BIPOC, rural, and sexual and gender minority parents may be at higher risk of perinatal mental health disorders due to stigma and social determinants of health, yet less research explores perinatal mental health among these populations. Additionally, there is a significant need for knowledge of protective factors for improved perinatal mental health, crucial for developing evidence-based interventions. This dissertation research seeks to investigate perinatal mental health and the provision of social support among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Two-spirit (LGBTQ2S+) parents in a rural context.  

Methods:  

This project was completed using community-based participatory research methods (CBPR) to empower participants and volunteers from the LGBTQ2S+ community. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six LGBTQ2S+ parents who had given birth, adopted, or fostered a child since 2022. 52 LGBTQ2S+ parents completed a statewide survey measuring social support, anxiety, and depression. A volunteer community advisory board comprised of LGBTQ2S+ parents co-designed the interview guideand survey, and contributed to thematic analysis. 

Originality:  

This study provides rich narrative data and quantitative estimates of perinatal mental health and social support among LGBTQ2+ parents in a rural context, helping to fill a significant gap in perinatal mental health research. No other study has investigatedperinatal mental health or social support among LGBTQ2S+ parents in Montana. 

Significance: 

Qualitative insights of this research provide a systems-based perspective on barriers and support for LGBTQ2S+ families. Quantitative data estimates perinatal mental health among this population in the state. The results of this research will be used to design future intervention studies to improve perinatal mental health outcomes, particularly among LGBTQ2S+ families.

Silk fibroin is a strong, versatile protein used to make materials such as films, hydrogels, and microneedles for biotechnology applications. This protein is typically obtained from two raw materials: silkworm cocoons and silk yarn—the same resources used by the textile industry for fabrics. This demand for raw silk drives intensive silkworm farming, which comes with environmental costs and ethical concerns, including high carbon emissions and silkworm killing. Together, these challenges highlight the need for alternative sources of silk fibroin.

Meanwhile, the textile industry generates over 11 million tons of silk waste annually, most of which end up in landfills. This raises an important question: Can silk textile waste be recycled into high-quality silk fibroin for biotechnology? To answer this, I extracted silk fibroin from three forms of silk textile waste—undyed waste silk fiber, dyed waste silk fiber, and sari ribbon scraps—and compared them to fibroin from the conventional sources.

I found that silk fibroin from textile waste largely retained properties comparable to that from typical sources. Also, the recycled silk fibroin was processed into bioplastics, showing mechanical performance similar to commercial plastic films, highlighting their potential as bioplastics for packaging.

Overall, this work demonstrates that silk textile waste is not just trash but could be repurposed into a valuable resource. Recycling silk waste into functional biomaterials supports a circular bioeconomy and reduces the carbon footprint of silk-based materials.