Postpartum depression, risk factors, support perception, and quality of life among primipara mothers in Rural Lanao del Sur, Philippines: A descriptive-predictive study

Abstract

Background: The transition to motherhood is a significant life event that can be both exciting and challenging, often complicated by postpartum depression. Understanding the awareness, risk factors, and support systems related to postpartum depression is crucial for improving the quality of life among new mothers.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the quality of life, awareness of postpartum depression, level of depression, and perception of support among primipara postpartum mothers in selected Rural Health Units (RHUs) of Lanao del Sur, southern Philippines, while also examining the correlation between awareness of postpartum depression, perception of support, and quality of life.

Methods: A descriptive-predictive study design was employed. A stratified random sampling method was used to select 356 respondents from a population of 4,694. Data were collected using questionnaires, including a self-developed survey for postpartum depression awareness and perceived social support, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale for depression levels, and the WHOQOL-BREF for assessing quality of life. Descriptive statistics and regression analysis were applied to interpret the data.

Results: The majority of respondents were young, married women with diverse educational and income backgrounds. Moderate awareness of postpartum depression was noted, with many respondents reporting mild depression. Strong support systems involving family, friends, healthcare providers, and peer groups were identified as essential in managing postpartum depression. Regression analysis indicated that awareness of postpartum depression (β = 0.400, p <0.001) positively influenced quality of life, whereas higher risk for postpartum depression (β = -0.229, p <0.001) was associated with reduced quality of life.

Conclusion: These findings emphasize the need to enhance awareness and support systems to effectively manage postpartum depression, thereby improving the quality of life of postpartum mothers at risk. Improving health information dissemination and healthcare services is critical for addressing postpartum depression in rural settings.

---

Total views 51 [Abstract: 28 | PDF: 23 ]

Declaration of Conflicting Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest related to this study. The research was conducted independently, and no financial or personal relationships influenced the outcomes.

Acknowledgment

The authors would like to express their gratitude to the Rural Health Units of Lanao del Sur for their support and cooperation in this study. Special thanks to the participating mothers for their valuable time and insights. We also acknowledge the contributions of the research team for their dedication and effort in data collection and analysis.

Authors’ Contributions

Iman U. Matumadi contributed to the study conception and design as well as data gathering. Laarni A. Caorong and Ashley A. Bangcola contributed to the supervision of the study and critical revisions of important intellectual content. All authors approved the final version of the article to be published.

Data Availability Statement

The dataset generated during and analyzed during the current study is available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Declaration of the Use of AI in Scientific Writing

None.

References

Read more

Alamoudi, D. H., Almrstani, A. M. S., Bukhari, A., Alamoudi, L. H., Alsubaie, A. M., Alrasheed, R. K., & Bajouh, O. (2017). Prevalence and factors associated with depressive symptoms among post-partum mothers in Jeddah. International Journal of Advanced Research, 5(2), 1542-1550. https://doi.org/10.21474/IJAR01/3314

Amit, A. M. L., Pepito, V. C. F., De los Reyes, S. J., Tang, C. S., Aliazas, N. A. K., & Sumpaico-Tanchanco, L. (2022). Prevalence and determinants of home delivery in urban and rural Philippines: Evidence from the 2017 National Demographic and Health Survey. Women's Health, 18, 17455057221117957. https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057221117957

Baattaiah, B. A., Alharbi, M. D., Babteen, N. M., Al-Maqbool, H. M., Babgi, F. A., & Albatati, A. A. (2023). The relationship between fatigue, sleep quality, resilience, and the risk of postpartum depression: An emphasis on maternal mental health. BMC Psychology, 11(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01043-3

Coates, D., Saleeba, C., & Howe, D. (2018). Profile of consumers and their partners of a perinatal and infant mental health (PIMH) service in Australia. Health & Social Care in the Community, 26(1), e154-e163. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12489

Cox, J. L., Holden, J. M., & Sagovsky, R. (1987). Detection of postnatal depression: Development of the 10-item Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 150(6), 782-786. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.150.6.782

Gheorghe, M., Varin, M., Wong, S. L., Baker, M., Grywacheski, V., & Orpana, H. (2021). Symptoms of postpartum anxiety and depression among women in Canada: Findings from a national cross-sectional survey. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 112, 244-252. https://doi.org/10.17269/s41997-020-00420-4

Hong, S. A., & Buntup, D. (2023). Maternal depression during pregnancy and postpartum period among the association of southeast asian nations (ASEAN) countries: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(6), 5023. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20065023

Jeong, Y.-J., Nho, J.-H., Kim, H. Y., & Kim, J. Y. (2021). Factors influencing quality of life in early postpartum women. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6), 2988. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18062988

Lebel, C., MacKinnon, A., Bagshawe, M., Tomfohr-Madsen, L., & Giesbrecht, G. (2020). Elevated depression and anxiety symptoms among pregnant individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Affective Disorders, 277, 5-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2020.07.126

Lever Taylor, B., Kandiah, A., Johnson, S., Howard, L. M., & Morant, N. (2021). A qualitative investigation of models of community mental health care for women with perinatal mental health problems. Journal of Mental Health, 30(5), 594-600. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2020.1714006

Levis, B., Negeri, Z., Sun, Y., Benedetti, A., & Thombs, B. D. (2020). Accuracy of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) for screening to detect major depression among pregnant and postpartum women: Systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data. BMJ, 371. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m4022

Manso-Córdoba, S., Pickering, S., Ortega, M. A., Asúnsolo, Á., & Romero, D. (2020). Factors related to seeking help for postpartum depression: A secondary analysis of New York city PRAMS data. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(24), 9328. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249328

Murphy, J., & Russell, B. (2023). Stigma reduction through addiction and Naloxone education. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 34(2), 185-198. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511253.2022.2068632

Nagayasu, Y., Fujita, D., Daimon, A., Nunode, M., Sawada, M., Sano, T., & Ohmichi, M. (2021). Possible prevention of post‐partum depression by intake of omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and its relationship with interleukin 6. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, 47(4), 1371-1379. https://doi.org/10.1111/jog.14592

Phipps, J. E., Whipps, M. D. M., D’Souza, I., LaSalle, J. M., & Simmons, L. A. (2023). Pregnant in a pandemic: Mental wellbeing and associated Healthy behaviors among pregnant people in California during COVID-19. Maternal and Child Health Journal 27(7), 1254-1263. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-023-03657-w

Pilav, S., De Backer, K., Easter, A., Silverio, S. A., Sundaresh, S., Roberts, S., & Howard, L. M. (2022). A qualitative study of minority ethnic women’s experiences of access to and engagement with perinatal mental health care. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 22(1), 421. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-022-04698-9

Qiu, X., Li, T., Fang, Q., Huang, L., & Zheng, X. (2022). Online and offline intervention for the prevention of postpartum depression among rural-to-urban floating women: Study protocol for a randomized control trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(13), 7951. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19137951

Ruybal, A. L., & Siegel, J. T. (2017). Increasing social support for women with postpartum depression: An application of attribution theory. Stigma and Health, 2(2), 137-156. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/sah0000047

Sakeah, E., Aborigo, R., Sakeah, J. K., Dalaba, M., Kanyomse, E., Azongo, D., Anaseba, D., Oladokun, S., & Oduro, A. R. (2018). The role of community-based health services in influencing postnatal care visits in the Builsa and the West Mamprusi districts in rural Ghana. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 18, 295. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-018-1926-7

Selma-Royo, M., García-Mantrana, I., Calatayud, M., Parra-Llorca, A., Martínez-Costa, C., & Collado, M. C. (2020). Maternal microbiota, cortisol concentration, and post-partum weight recovery are dependent on mode of delivery. Nutrients, 12(6), 1779. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12061779

Tani, F., & Castagna, V. (2017). Maternal social support, quality of birth experience, and post-partum depression in primiparous women. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine, 30(6), 689-692. https://doi.org/10.1080/14767058.2016.1182980

The WHOQOL Group. (1995). The World Health Organization quality of life assessment (WHOQOL): Position paper from the World Health Organization. Social Science & Medicine, 41(10), 1403-1409. https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(95)00112-K

Zingg, A., Singh, T., & Myneni, S. (2021). Analysis of online peripartum depression communities: Application of multilabel text classification techniques to inform digitally-mediated prevention and management. Frontiers in Digital Health, 3, 653769. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2021.653769

---

Readers are able to give us their valuable feedbacks here. The comments will be reviewed by the editors and then published here. Important Note: The "Comments" related to the Galley Proof PDF must NOT be submitted via this form. Authors should submit their comments on their galley proofs only via system