The Effect of Social Health Issues on Postpartum Depression: Analysis from a Community Sample in Ghana

Abdul Cadri; Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo; Aboagye Gyan Richard; Augustine Adomah-Afari

doi:doi:10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16

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The Effect of Social Health Issues on Postpartum Depression: Analysis from a Community Sample in Ghana

Abdul Cadri, Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo, Aboagye Gyan Richard, Augustine Adomah-Afari

Published in Central African Journal of Public Health (Volume 6, Issue 2)

Received: 5 February 2020 Accepted: 21 February 2020 Published: 2 March 2020

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Abstract

Background: Postpartum depression is a mild mental or behavioural disorder that usually commences few weeks after delivery. Even though some studies have identified the association between postpartum depression and socio-demographic factors, no study has explored the association between stressors in women’s life after birth and postpartum depression. Aims/objectives: This study aimed to assess the population prevalence of postpartum depression among women in the Hohoe Municipality, the prevalence of stressful life events and social health issues they experienced, and its association with postpartum depression. The coping strategies they adopted to enable them move on were also examined. Method: Analytical cross-sectional study design using quantitative techniques was employed in achieving the objectives of this study. A total of 172 participants who were between five and twelve weeks postpartum were recruited to respond to a structured questionnaire. The Edinburgh postnatal depression scale was used to measure depression. The 28 item Brief Cope Scale was used to examine the coping strategies postpartum depressed women adopted. Data were analysed using Stata version 14. Logistic regression model was used to test for association and statistical significance was tested at p<0.05. Results: The prevalence of postpartum depression among the women in the study was 32.6%. More than half of the respondents (64.5%) reported experiencing stressful life events or social health issues after birth with 30.2% of them reporting one or two and 34.3% of them reporting to have experienced three or more stressful life events. Odds were raised in women who reported one or two (AOR=6.01, 95%CI=1.57-22.99) and three or more (AOR=32, 95%CI=8.33-124.06) stressful life events or social health issues than those who did not experience any social health issue; and the difference was statistically significant (p <0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the study indicated that the prevalence of postpartum depression was 32.6%. Moreover, 64.5% of the women reported to have experienced some stressful life events. Experience of social health issues was found to be significantly associated with postpartum depression. There is the need for policy makers and healthcare practitioners to develop interventions that would comprehensively cater for the psychological health and wellbeing of postpartum mothers; and education on the right coping strategies.

Published in	Central African Journal of Public Health (Volume 6, Issue 2)
DOI	10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16
Page(s)	88-94
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Depression, Social Health, Stressful Event, Coping

References

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APA Style

Abdul Cadri, Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo, Aboagye Gyan Richard, Augustine Adomah-Afari. (2020). The Effect of Social Health Issues on Postpartum Depression: Analysis from a Community Sample in Ghana. Central African Journal of Public Health, 6(2), 88-94. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16

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ACS Style

Abdul Cadri; Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo; Aboagye Gyan Richard; Augustine Adomah-Afari. The Effect of Social Health Issues on Postpartum Depression: Analysis from a Community Sample in Ghana. Cent. Afr. J. Public Health 2020, 6(2), 88-94. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16

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AMA Style

Abdul Cadri, Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo, Aboagye Gyan Richard, Augustine Adomah-Afari. The Effect of Social Health Issues on Postpartum Depression: Analysis from a Community Sample in Ghana. Cent Afr J Public Health. 2020;6(2):88-94. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16

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@article{10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16,
  author = {Abdul Cadri and Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo and Aboagye Gyan Richard and Augustine Adomah-Afari},
  title = {The Effect of Social Health Issues on Postpartum Depression: Analysis from a Community Sample in Ghana},
  journal = {Central African Journal of Public Health},
  volume = {6},
  number = {2},
  pages = {88-94},
  doi = {10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cajph.20200602.16},
  abstract = {Background: Postpartum depression is a mild mental or behavioural disorder that usually commences few weeks after delivery. Even though some studies have identified the association between postpartum depression and socio-demographic factors, no study has explored the association between stressors in women’s life after birth and postpartum depression. Aims/objectives: This study aimed to assess the population prevalence of postpartum depression among women in the Hohoe Municipality, the prevalence of stressful life events and social health issues they experienced, and its association with postpartum depression. The coping strategies they adopted to enable them move on were also examined. Method: Analytical cross-sectional study design using quantitative techniques was employed in achieving the objectives of this study. A total of 172 participants who were between five and twelve weeks postpartum were recruited to respond to a structured questionnaire. The Edinburgh postnatal depression scale was used to measure depression. The 28 item Brief Cope Scale was used to examine the coping strategies postpartum depressed women adopted. Data were analysed using Stata version 14. Logistic regression model was used to test for association and statistical significance was tested at p<0.05. Results: The prevalence of postpartum depression among the women in the study was 32.6%. More than half of the respondents (64.5%) reported experiencing stressful life events or social health issues after birth with 30.2% of them reporting one or two and 34.3% of them reporting to have experienced three or more stressful life events. Odds were raised in women who reported one or two (AOR=6.01, 95%CI=1.57-22.99) and three or more (AOR=32, 95%CI=8.33-124.06) stressful life events or social health issues than those who did not experience any social health issue; and the difference was statistically significant (p <0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the study indicated that the prevalence of postpartum depression was 32.6%. Moreover, 64.5% of the women reported to have experienced some stressful life events. Experience of social health issues was found to be significantly associated with postpartum depression. There is the need for policy makers and healthcare practitioners to develop interventions that would comprehensively cater for the psychological health and wellbeing of postpartum mothers; and education on the right coping strategies.},
 year = {2020}
}

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TY - JOUR
T1 - The Effect of Social Health Issues on Postpartum Depression: Analysis from a Community Sample in Ghana
AU - Abdul Cadri
AU - Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo
AU - Aboagye Gyan Richard
AU - Augustine Adomah-Afari
Y1 - 2020/03/02
PY - 2020
N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16
DO - 10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16
T2 - Central African Journal of Public Health
JF - Central African Journal of Public Health
JO - Central African Journal of Public Health
SP - 88
EP - 94
PB - Science Publishing Group
SN - 2575-5781
UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16
AB - Background: Postpartum depression is a mild mental or behavioural disorder that usually commences few weeks after delivery. Even though some studies have identified the association between postpartum depression and socio-demographic factors, no study has explored the association between stressors in women’s life after birth and postpartum depression. Aims/objectives: This study aimed to assess the population prevalence of postpartum depression among women in the Hohoe Municipality, the prevalence of stressful life events and social health issues they experienced, and its association with postpartum depression. The coping strategies they adopted to enable them move on were also examined. Method: Analytical cross-sectional study design using quantitative techniques was employed in achieving the objectives of this study. A total of 172 participants who were between five and twelve weeks postpartum were recruited to respond to a structured questionnaire. The Edinburgh postnatal depression scale was used to measure depression. The 28 item Brief Cope Scale was used to examine the coping strategies postpartum depressed women adopted. Data were analysed using Stata version 14. Logistic regression model was used to test for association and statistical significance was tested at p<0.05. Results: The prevalence of postpartum depression among the women in the study was 32.6%. More than half of the respondents (64.5%) reported experiencing stressful life events or social health issues after birth with 30.2% of them reporting one or two and 34.3% of them reporting to have experienced three or more stressful life events. Odds were raised in women who reported one or two (AOR=6.01, 95%CI=1.57-22.99) and three or more (AOR=32, 95%CI=8.33-124.06) stressful life events or social health issues than those who did not experience any social health issue; and the difference was statistically significant (p <0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the study indicated that the prevalence of postpartum depression was 32.6%. Moreover, 64.5% of the women reported to have experienced some stressful life events. Experience of social health issues was found to be significantly associated with postpartum depression. There is the need for policy makers and healthcare practitioners to develop interventions that would comprehensively cater for the psychological health and wellbeing of postpartum mothers; and education on the right coping strategies.
VL - 6
IS - 2
ER -

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Author Information

Abdul Cadri

Social and Behavioural Science, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon- Accra, Ghana
Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo

Health Policy, Planning and Management, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon- Accra, Ghana
Aboagye Gyan Richard

Family and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho, Ghana
Augustine Adomah-Afari

Health Policy, Planning and Management, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon- Accra, Ghana

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APA Style

Abdul Cadri, Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo, Aboagye Gyan Richard, Augustine Adomah-Afari. (2020). The Effect of Social Health Issues on Postpartum Depression: Analysis from a Community Sample in Ghana. Central African Journal of Public Health, 6(2), 88-94. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16

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ACS Style

Abdul Cadri; Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo; Aboagye Gyan Richard; Augustine Adomah-Afari. The Effect of Social Health Issues on Postpartum Depression: Analysis from a Community Sample in Ghana. Cent. Afr. J. Public Health 2020, 6(2), 88-94. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16

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AMA Style

Abdul Cadri, Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo, Aboagye Gyan Richard, Augustine Adomah-Afari. The Effect of Social Health Issues on Postpartum Depression: Analysis from a Community Sample in Ghana. Cent Afr J Public Health. 2020;6(2):88-94. doi: 10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16

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@article{10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16,
  author = {Abdul Cadri and Abdul Aziz Nagumsi Bonyo and Aboagye Gyan Richard and Augustine Adomah-Afari},
  title = {The Effect of Social Health Issues on Postpartum Depression: Analysis from a Community Sample in Ghana},
  journal = {Central African Journal of Public Health},
  volume = {6},
  number = {2},
  pages = {88-94},
  doi = {10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.cajph.20200602.16},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.cajph.20200602.16},
  abstract = {Background: Postpartum depression is a mild mental or behavioural disorder that usually commences few weeks after delivery. Even though some studies have identified the association between postpartum depression and socio-demographic factors, no study has explored the association between stressors in women’s life after birth and postpartum depression. Aims/objectives: This study aimed to assess the population prevalence of postpartum depression among women in the Hohoe Municipality, the prevalence of stressful life events and social health issues they experienced, and its association with postpartum depression. The coping strategies they adopted to enable them move on were also examined. Method: Analytical cross-sectional study design using quantitative techniques was employed in achieving the objectives of this study. A total of 172 participants who were between five and twelve weeks postpartum were recruited to respond to a structured questionnaire. The Edinburgh postnatal depression scale was used to measure depression. The 28 item Brief Cope Scale was used to examine the coping strategies postpartum depressed women adopted. Data were analysed using Stata version 14. Logistic regression model was used to test for association and statistical significance was tested at p<0.05. Results: The prevalence of postpartum depression among the women in the study was 32.6%. More than half of the respondents (64.5%) reported experiencing stressful life events or social health issues after birth with 30.2% of them reporting one or two and 34.3% of them reporting to have experienced three or more stressful life events. Odds were raised in women who reported one or two (AOR=6.01, 95%CI=1.57-22.99) and three or more (AOR=32, 95%CI=8.33-124.06) stressful life events or social health issues than those who did not experience any social health issue; and the difference was statistically significant (p <0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the study indicated that the prevalence of postpartum depression was 32.6%. Moreover, 64.5% of the women reported to have experienced some stressful life events. Experience of social health issues was found to be significantly associated with postpartum depression. There is the need for policy makers and healthcare practitioners to develop interventions that would comprehensively cater for the psychological health and wellbeing of postpartum mothers; and education on the right coping strategies.},
 year = {2020}
}

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