nach oben

International Journal of Public Health

Erschienen in:

01.08.2011 | Original Article

What accounts for depressive symptoms among mothers? The impact of socioeconomic status, family structure and psychosocial stress

verfasst von: Stefanie Sperlich, Sonja Arnhold-Kerri, Siegfried Geyer

Erschienen in: International Journal of Public Health | Ausgabe 4/2011

Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten

Abstract

Objectives

Based on a cross-sectional population survey of 3,129 women with minor children, it was analyzed how socioeconomic status, family structure and perceived psychosocial stress are linked and how they contributed to women’s self-reported depressive symptoms.

Methods

Pearson’s χ² test and multi-factor analysis of variance were used for investigating relationships between social status, family characteristics and psychosocial stress. Logistic regression models were computed for estimating their impact on depressive symptoms.

Results

Mothers having more than two children, early mothers and single mothers were prone to socioeconomic disadvantages. Low income was associated with higher psychosocial stress, however also an inverse social gradient was found indicating increased psychosocial stress among higher educated mothers. Having a youngest child below 16 years and low income increased while being a housewife was associated with decreased risks of depressive symptoms. Psychosocial stress, in particular due to family demands, conflicts with (former) partner and loneliness revealed to be highly relevant for depressive symptoms.

Conclusions

The findings are pointing to the importance of life-phase specific stressors for explaining depressive symptoms among mothers.

Arber S (1997) Comparing inequalities in women’s and men’s health: Britain in the 1990s. Soc Sci Med 44:773–787PubMedCrossRef

Artazcoz L, Artieda L, Borrell C, Cortes I, Benach J, Garcia V (2004) Combining job and family demands and being healthy: What are the differences between men and women? Eur J Public Health 14:43–48PubMedCrossRef

Bell D, Dill D, Longfellow C, Makosky V (1988) Stressful life conditions and the mental health of mothers. In: Russo N (Chair) Women and depression: research gaps and priorities. Symposium presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association, Atlanta

Campo JV, Bridge J, Lucas A, Savorelli S, Walker L, Di Lorenzo C et al (2007) Physical and emotional health of mothers of youth with functional abdominal pain. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 161:131–137PubMedCrossRef

Curtis L, Phipps S (2004) Social transfers and the health status of mothers in Norway and Canada. Soc Sci Med 58:2499–2507PubMedCrossRef

Deal LW, Holt VL (1998) Young maternal age and depressive symptoms: results from the 1988 National Maternal and Infant Health Survey. Am J Public Health 88:266–270PubMedCrossRef

Drever F, Doran T, Whitehead M (2004) Exploring the relation between class, gender, and self rated general health using the new socioeconomic classification. A study using data from the 2001 census. J Epidemiol Community Health 58:590–596PubMedCrossRef

Emerson E, Hatton C, Llewellyn G, Blacker J, Graham H (2006) Socio-economic position, household composition, health status and indicators of the well-being of mothers of children with and without intellectual disabilities. J Intellect Disability Res 50:862–873CrossRef

Fokkema T (2002) Combining a job and children: contrasting the health of married and divorced women in the Netherlands? Soc Sci Med 54:741–752PubMedCrossRef

Franz M, Lensche H, Schmitz N (2003) Psychological distress and socioeconomic status in single mothers and their children in a German city. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 38:59–68PubMedCrossRef

Gadalla TM (2009) Determinants, correlates and mediators of psychological distress: a longitudinal study. Soc Sci Med 68:2199–2205PubMedCrossRef

Gehring TM, Aubert L, Padlina O, Martin-Diener E, Somaini B (2009) Perceived stress and health-related outcomes in a Swiss population sample. Swiss J Psychol 60:27–34CrossRef

Graham H (2007) Unequal lives: health and socioeconomic inequalities. Open University Press, Maidenhead

Graham H, Sherburne Hawkins S, Law C (2010) Lifecourse influences on women’s smoking before, during and after pregnancy. Soc Sci Med 70:582–587PubMedCrossRef

Herrmann Ch, Buss U, Snaith RP (1995) HADS-D—Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale—Deutsche Version: Ein Fragebogen zur Erfassung von Angst und Depressivität in der somatischen Medizin. Hans Huber, Bern

Hinz A, Schwarz R (2001) Angst und Depression in der Allgemeinbevölkerung. Eine Normierungsstudie zur Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Psychotherapie, Psychosomatik und Medizinische Psychologie (PPmP) 51:193–200

Khlat M, Sermet C, Le Pape A (2000) Women’s health in relation with their family and work roles: France in the early 1990s. Soc Sci Med 50:1807–1825

Kuh D, Power C, Blane D, Bartley M (2004) Socioeconomic pathways between childhood and adult health. In: Kuh D, Ben-Shlomo Y (eds) A life course approach to chronic disease epidemiology: tracing the origins of ill health from early to adult life. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 371–395CrossRef

Lahelma E, Arber S, Kivel K, Roos E (2002) Multiple roles and health among British and Finnish women: the influence of socioeconomic circumstances. Soc Sci Med 54:727–740PubMedCrossRef

Macran S, Clarke L, Joshi H (1996) Women’s health: dimensions and differentials. Soc Sci Med 42:1203–1216PubMedCrossRef

Martikainen P (1995) Women’s employment, marriage, motherhood and mortality: a test of the multiple role and role accumulation hypotheses. Soc Sci Med 40:199–212PubMedCrossRef

Mastekaasa A (2000) Parenthood, gender and sickness absence. Soc Sci Med 50:1827–1842PubMedCrossRef

Mathiesen KS, Tambs K, Dalgard OS (1999) The influence of social class, strain and social support on symptoms of anxiety and depression in mothers of toddlers. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 34:61–72PubMedCrossRef

Matthews S, Power C (2002) Socio-economic gradients in psychological distress: a focus on women, social roles and work-home characteristics. Soc Sci Med 54:799–810PubMedCrossRef

McConnell D, Llewellyn G (2006) Health of mothers of school-age children with disabilities. Aust N Z J Publ Health 30:572–574CrossRef

McDonough P, Walters V, Strohschein L (2002) Chronic stress and the social patterning of women’s health in Canada. Soc Sci Med 54:767–782PubMedCrossRef

Mirowsky J, Ross CE (2002) Depression, parenthood, and age at first birth. Soc Sci Med 54:1281–1298PubMedCrossRef

Mistry R, Stevens GD, Sareen H, De Vogli R, Halfon N (2007) Parenting-related stressors and self-reported mental health of mothers with young children. Am J Public Health 97:1261–1268PubMedCrossRef

Naerde A, Tambs K, Mathiesen KS, Dalgard OS, Samuelsen SO (2000) Symptoms of anxiety and depression among mothers of pre-school children: effect of chronic strain related to children and child care-taking. J Affect Disord 58:181–199PubMedCrossRef

Power S, Stansfeld A, Matthews S, Manor O, Hope S (2002) Childhood and adulthood risk factors for socio-economic differentials in psychological distress: evidence from the 1958 British birth cohort. Soc Sci Med 55:1989–2004PubMedCrossRef

Romito P, Saurel-Cubizolles MJ, Lelong N (1999) What makes new mothers unhappy: psychological distress one year after birth in Italy and France. Soc Sci Med 49:1651–1661PubMedCrossRef

Sacker A, Firth D, Fitzpatrick R, Lynch K, Bartley M (2000) Comparing health inequality in men and women: prospective study of mortality 1986–96. BMJ 320:1303–1307PubMedCrossRef

Scheier MF, Carver CS, Bridges MW (1994) Distinguishing optimism from neuroticism (and trait anxiety, self-mastery, and self-esteem): a re-evaluation of the Life Orientation Test. J Pers Soc Psychol 67:1063–1078PubMedCrossRef

Sperlich S, Arnhold-Kerri S, Geyer S (2011) Social living conditions and health among mothers in Germany: findings from a population sample. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 54:735–744PubMedCrossRef

Stronks K, van de Mheen H, Looman CWN, Mackenbach JP (1998) The importance of psychosocial stressors for socio-economic inequalities in perceived health. Soc Sci Med 46:611–623PubMedCrossRef

Walters V, McDonough P, Strohschein L (2002) The influence of work, household structure, and social, personal and material resources on gender differences in health: an analysis of the 1994 Canadian National Population Health Survey. Soc Sci Med 54:677–692PubMedCrossRef

Whitehead M, Burström B, Diderichsen F (2000) Social policies and the pathways to inequalities in health: a comparative analysis of lone mothers in Britain and Sweden. Soc Sci Med 50:255–270PubMedCrossRef

Titel: What accounts for depressive symptoms among mothers? The impact of socioeconomic status, family structure and psychosocial stress
verfasst von: Stefanie Sperlich
Sonja Arnhold-Kerri
Siegfried Geyer
Publikationsdatum: 01.08.2011
Verlag: SP Birkhäuser Verlag Basel
Erschienen in: International Journal of Public Health / Ausgabe 4/2011
Print ISSN: 1661-8556
Elektronische ISSN: 1661-8564
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-011-0272-6

Live-Webinar "Urologie und Sexualmedizin in der Praxis"

Springer Medizin

What accounts for depressive symptoms among mothers? The impact of socioeconomic status, family structure and psychosocial stress

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Live-Webinar "Urologie und Sexualmedizin in der Praxis"

Springer Medizin

Abstract

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Bitte loggen Sie sich ein, um Zugang zu diesem Inhalt zu erhalten

Weitere Artikel der Ausgabe 4/2011

The inequity in out-of-pocket expenditures for healthcare in Tajikistan: evidence and implications from a nationally representative survey

Suicidal ideation and associated factors by sex in Korean adults: a population-based cross-sectional survey

Income or living standard and health in Germany: different ways of measurement of relative poverty with regard to self-rated health

Experiences of violence among adolescents: gender patterns in types, perpetrators and associated psychological distress

Social determinants and surveillance in the new Millennium

Better health reports when the grass is greener on your side of the fence? A cross-sectional study in older persons