Mother-Father Differences in Postnatal Psychological Distress and Its Determinants in Iran

Hassan Mahmoodi; Farzaneh Golboni; Haidar Nadrian; Moradali Zareipour; Shayesteh Shirzadi; Reza Ghanei Gheshlagh

doi:10.3889/oamjms.2017.009

Authors

Hassan Mahmoodi Department of Health Education and Promotion, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz
Farzaneh Golboni Department of Midwifery, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah
Haidar Nadrian Department of Health Education and Promotion, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz
Moradali Zareipour Department of Health Education, School of Public Health, Yazd University of Medical Sciences, Yazd
Shayesteh Shirzadi Department of Health Education and Promotion, Faculty of Health, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz
Reza Ghanei Gheshlagh Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3889/oamjms.2017.009

Keywords:

Postnatal psychological distress, parents, GHQ-28, postpartum, mental health

Abstract

AIM: The aim of this study was to investigate the mother-father differences in Postnatal Psychological Distress (PPD) and its determinants among the parents with 8-weeks old children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, applying simple random sampling, 306 postnatal parents with an 8-weeks old infant in Saqqez County, Iran, were invited to answer the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) items through the telephone interview. Fifty-eight subjects declined to participate in the study (Response Rate = 81.04%). The data were analysed using the SPSS Statistics v. 21.

RESULTS: About 16.9% of all the parents had PPD. The difference in the prevalence of PPD in three dimensions between the two groups were statistically significant (p < 0.01): social dysfunction (25.8% for fathers vs. 5.6% for mothers), somatic disorders (21% for fathers vs. 7.3% for mothers), and anxiety (21% for fathers vs. 6.5% for mothers). The mode of delivery of the mothers and the level of education, the number of children, monthly income, and being consent with pregnancy among the fathers were significant predictors for PPD.

CONCLUSION: The level of PPD was more prevalent among the new fathers compared to the new mothers. Among the fathers, but not the mothers, socioeconomic characteristics were contributed to PPD. Considering the differences in risk factors for maternal and paternal PPD, our findings may help family health care providers and policymakers in designing gender-specific intervention programs and diagnosis tools aimed at PPD prevention among new parents.

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