An examination of low social support during pregnancy and its association with mental health and quality of life of pregnant women in Australia
- Publication Type:
- Thesis
- Issue Date:
- 2023
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๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ๐ด๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ: Evidence has shown that social support is recommended to reduce the risk of mental health problems and improve quality of life (QoL) during pregnancy. However, the magnitude and direction of the association between social support and mental health problems and QoL during pregnancy remain inconsistent and under-researched.
๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฑ: Project 1 involved a review of literature addressing the relationship between low social support and antenatal mental health problems. Project 2 involved secondary analyses of data obtained from the Australian Longitudinal Study on Womenโs Health (ALSWH) (n = 493) examining the prevalence and determinants of low social support and the association between low social support and antenatal depression, anxiety as well as HRQoL. Project 3 involved analyses of the relationship between marital status and the risk of antenatal mental health disorders using data obtained from a NSW-linked data project (n = 598,599).
๐ฅ๐ฒ๐๐๐น๐๐: The ALSWH data analyses found that the prevalence of low social support was 7.1%. Having antenatal mental health problems, being stressed, being from low socio-economic status and being non-partnered were significant determinants of low antenatal social support. The odds of antenatal depressive symptoms was about four and threefold higher among pregnant women who reported low emotional/informational support and low overall social support, respectively. In addition, the odds of antenatal anxiety symptoms was seven times higher among pregnant women who reported low affectionate support/positive social interaction. Furthermore, emotional/informational support partially mediates the relationship between perceived stress and antenatal depressive symptoms and the relationship between perceived stress and antenatal anxiety symptoms. Also, emotional/informational support, tangible support, and affectionate support/positive social interaction played a significant mediating role in the relationship between perceived stress and mental health-related quality of life (QoL). The multivariate quantile regression (QR) analysis indicated that all the domains of social support, as well as overall social support scores, were positively associated with higher MCS scores. Finally, analyses of data from NSW-linked health administrative data found that non-partnered pregnant women had a higher likelihood of depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and self-harm compared with partnered women.
๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฐ๐น๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป: Policy-makers and those working on maternity care should consider the development of targeted social support programs to help reduce antenatal mental health problems. Further, it would be highly beneficial for maternal healthcare professionals to screen pregnant women for social support, antenatal depression, anxiety, and self-harm and link those screened positive for treatment through appropriate referral pathways.
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