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Antenatal Depressive Symptomatology, Family Conflict and Social Support Among Chengdu Chinese Women

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Abstract

To investigate the association between demo-socio-economic status, obstetric variables, family conflict, social support and antenatal depressive symptoms among 1,609 Chinese women from four regional public hospitals during their second trimester of pregnancy in Chengdu. The vulnerable factors of depressive symptoms were explored in terms of their demo-socio-economic, obstetric, and Chinese family relational aspects, as well as in terms of social support. The women were identified as having depressive symptoms using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Marital conflict and parent-in-law conflict were assessed using the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Stryker Adjustment Checklist, respectively. The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List was used to measure the functional aspects of the perceived availability of social support. The prevalence rates of antenatal mild to severe and severe depressive symptoms were 35.9 and 7.3%, respectively. The logistic regression analysis revealed that participants who had been married for a shorter time, had a single source of financial support, a poor marital and mother-in-law relationship, and who lacked social support were more likely to have mild to severe depressive symptoms (P < 0.05). Participants who were younger, who had lived in Chengdu for a shorter period of time, had a shorter duration of marriage, solo financial support, poor marital relationship, and poor social support were more likely to have severe depressive symptoms (P < 0.05). The findings provide important information for prenatal screening, public health and social policies to help in the reduction of antenatal depressive symptoms among the Chengdu population.

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Acknowledgments

This research was substantially supported by a grant from the Macao Polytechnic Institute awarded to the first author (research project number P024/DECP/2007; number of the approved proposal, RP/ESS-1/2007). We are grateful for the generous participation of the women in this study, without whom this work would not have been possible.

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  1. School of Health Sciences, Macao Polytechnic Institute, 5/F Centro Hotline Building, No. 335-341, Alameda Dr. Carlos D’ Assumpcao, Macao SAR, China

    Ying Lau & Lei Yin

  2. Department of Nursing, West China Second (Women and Children) University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China

    Yuqiong Wang

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  1. Ying Lau
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  2. Lei Yin
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Correspondence to Ying Lau.

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Lau, Y., Yin, L. & Wang, Y. Antenatal Depressive Symptomatology, Family Conflict and Social Support Among Chengdu Chinese Women. Matern Child Health J 15, 1416–1426 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-010-0699-z

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