Self-rated health, depression, and anxiety among perinatal Latinas

Introduction: Poorer self-rated health is associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. Poorer self-rated health is also associated with worse health outcomes, including premature mortality. Few studies have investigated how Latina mothers rate their health during the perinatal period and how those ratings are associated with risk for depression and anxiety. This study addresses this gap in the literature. Specifically, we examined whether poor and fair self-rated health is associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms in pregnancy and six weeks postpartum. Methods: This secondary analysis consisted of 153 Latina women recruited from a public health clinic and followed from pregnancy to six weeks postpartum. Data on current self-rated health, health before pregnancy, psychosocial stressors, and demographic characteristics were collected during pregnancy. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed in pregnancy and at six weeks postpartum. Linear regressions were used to assess the association between change in self-rated health from pre-pregnancy to during pregnancy and depressive and anxiety symptoms at both time points. Results: While controlling for psychosocial stressors, women who consistently reported fair health, on average, reported higher scores of prenatal depressive symptoms (p = 0.002) compared to the other women. Women who reported a decline in their health, on average, reported lower scores of depressive symptoms at six weeks postpartum (p = 0.04) compared to other women. Women whose self-rated health declined (p = 0.001) and remained fair (p = 0.01), on average, reported higher scores of prenatal anxiety symptoms compared to their counterparts. Women who reported a decline in their health, on average, reported lower scores of postpartum anxiety symptoms at six weeks (p = 0.04) compared to others. Women who reported more life stressors, on average, reported higher scores of prenatal depressive symptoms (p < 0.001) and prenatal anxiety symptoms (p = 0.01) compared to their counterparts. Conclusions: Consistently fair and declining self-rated health were significantly associated with perinatal depression and anxiety. Latina women who consistently rated their health as fair were significantly associated with prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms and should be considered when identifying women at risk for poor mental health. These results also emphasize the importance of understanding the health of Latinas and their risk for depression and anxiety during the perinatal period, which can have implications for clinical care.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Community Health

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2020

Author dc:creator

• Juarez Padilla, Janeth

Contributors dc:contributor

• Lara-Cinisomo, Sandraluz
• Singleton, Chelsea R.

• self-rated health
• perinatal, prenatal
• postpartum
• depression
• anxiety

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2020 Janeth Juarez Padilla

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/108044

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/108044