Risk factors for postnatal depression among recently delivered young women in Rural Karnataka, South India
Journal Title: Journal of Public Health and Development - Year 2025, Vol 23, Issue 1
Abstract
Postnatal depression (PND) is a global public health issue that is associated with devastating and persistent outcomes in mothers and children. In India, PND affects one-in-five first-time mothers. Research on PND among populations in rural settings in India is limited. We aim to describe the prevalence of and risk factors forpostnatal depression among a sample of women in their postnatal period in a rural setting in Mysore, South India. Participants were recruited from a large quasi-experimental study that examined the feasibility and acceptability of using mobile medical clinics for antenatal care and HIV testing for pregnant women living in rural communities. All postpartum women completed the PHQ-9 along with a brief survey after completion of the informed consent process. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with PND. A total of 148 mothers 16-20 weeks postpartum completed the study (Mage=22.9 years, SD ±3.40). About 18.9% met the screening cut-off for postnatal depression using PHQ-9 with scores ≥10. After controlling for age and interaction term for participants’ age and their spouses’ education level, postnatal mothers residing with husbands with higher levels of education had significantly lower odds of depression symptoms (Odds Ratio: 0.25; 95% CI: 0.10-0.6) as compared to those whose husbands had lower education levels. High prevalence of PND indicates the need for early screening, evidence-based intervention programs, and capacity building for frontline health workers such as Auxiliary Nurse Midwives and Accredited Social Health Activists who work closely with pregnant and postnatal mothers in rural communities. This study also indicates the need for research on husbands’ level of understanding of PND, and their attitudes immediately after their wives’ delivery in rural communities.
Authors and Affiliations
Anand Siddaiah, Xin Zhao, Shivamma Nanjaiah, Karl Krupp, Vijaya Srinivas, Murali Krishna, Kiranmayee Muralidhar, Caitlyn Placek, Purnima Madhivanan
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP754466
- DOI 10.55131/jphd/2025/230101
- Views 16
- Downloads 0
Effectiveness of the elderly self-care model for enhancing quality of life by community participation in Yasothon Province, Thailand
The quality of life (QoL) of elderly individuals is an important public health issue in Thailand. This study aimed to assess the factors affecting QoL in elderly individuals. Additionally, action research was used to dev...
Factor analysis of the village health volunteers’ core competencies in Thailand
This survey research aimed to study the VHVs’ core competencies, in particular by analyzing the VHVs’ Competency Standards developed in 2007 in Thailand. The research used multistage probability random sampling. A total...
Predictive factors of COVID-19 self-test kit usage among undergraduate students in Thailand: a cross-sectional survey
The COVID-19 self-test kit plays a pivotal role in public health by identifying active infections and enhancing individuals' access to testing. Its rapid results enable early detection of positive cases, contributing sig...
Effectiveness of the Thai traditional health tourism activities empowerment program on the active aging of Thai older adults
Objective: This one-group quasi-experimental study aimed to examine the effectiveness of the Thai Traditional Health Tourism Activities Empowerment Program on the active aging of older adults in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya...
A SARIMA time series forecasting for dengue cases for reporting to Yangon Region, Myanmar
Dengue fever is a significant public health challenge in Myanmar, which requires accurate monitoring to mitigate its impact. The study aimed to develop a forecasting model for dengue cases in Myanmar's Yangon region usin...