Psychosocial Factors of Antenatal Anxiety and Depression in Pakistan: Is Social Support a Mediator?

Ahmed Waqas, Nahal Raza, Haneen Wajid Lodhi, Zerwah Muhammad, Mehak Jamal and Abdul Rehman

PLOS ONE, 2015, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Introduction: Pregnancy is generally viewed as a time of fulfillment and joy; however, for many women it can be a stressful event. In South Asia it is associated with cultural stigmas revolving around gender discrimination, abnormal births and genetic abnormalities. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was done at four teaching hospitals in Lahore from February, 2014 to June, 2014. A total of 500 pregnant women seen at hospital obstetrics and gynecology departments were interviewed with a questionnaire consisting of three sections: demographics, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and the Social Provisions Scale (SPS). Pearson’s chi-squared test, bivariate correlations and multiple linear regression were used to analyze associations between the independent variables and scores on the HADS and SPS. Results: Mean age among the 500 respondents was 27.41 years (5.65). Anxiety levels in participants were categorized as normal (145 women, 29%), borderline (110, 22%) or anxious (245, 49%). Depression levels were categorized as normal (218 women, 43.6%), borderline (123, 24.6%) or depressed (159, 31.8%). Inferential analysis revealed that higher HADS scores were significantly associated with lower scores on the SPS, rural background, history of harassment, abortion, cesarean delivery and unplanned pregnancies (P

Date: 2015
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0116510

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0116510

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