Abstract
On May 12, 2008, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake struck China’s southwestern Sichuan province. Recent studies have identified mental
health problems among the survivors, but little is known about the impact of the Sichuan earthquake on the mental health of
new mothers in the area. The main objective was to assess the impact of the Sichuan earthquake on the posttraumatic stress
disorders (PTSD) and depression of new mothers. A total of 317 new mothers were interviewed in the hospital from January 2009
to March 2009. Symptoms of PTSD were measured using the impact of event scale-revised, and symptoms of postpartum depression
were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. The prevalence rates of PTSD and postpartum depression
were 19.9% and 29.0%, respectively. Women with high earthquake exposure had higher risks of PTSD (odds ratio (OR), 5.91; 95%
confidence interval (CI), 1.75–19.97; P < 0.001) and postpartum depression (OR, 7.28; 95% CI, 2.51–21.08; P < 0.001) than women without earthquake experience. In addition, women with low monthly family income and farm workers had
a higher risk of having PTSD; women who were unemployed or with lower monthly family income and poor sleep had a higher risk
of having depression. Earthquake experience increased the risks of having PTSD and depression among new mothers at 8 months
later of the earthquake.
health problems among the survivors, but little is known about the impact of the Sichuan earthquake on the mental health of
new mothers in the area. The main objective was to assess the impact of the Sichuan earthquake on the posttraumatic stress
disorders (PTSD) and depression of new mothers. A total of 317 new mothers were interviewed in the hospital from January 2009
to March 2009. Symptoms of PTSD were measured using the impact of event scale-revised, and symptoms of postpartum depression
were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. The prevalence rates of PTSD and postpartum depression
were 19.9% and 29.0%, respectively. Women with high earthquake exposure had higher risks of PTSD (odds ratio (OR), 5.91; 95%
confidence interval (CI), 1.75–19.97; P < 0.001) and postpartum depression (OR, 7.28; 95% CI, 2.51–21.08; P < 0.001) than women without earthquake experience. In addition, women with low monthly family income and farm workers had
a higher risk of having PTSD; women who were unemployed or with lower monthly family income and poor sleep had a higher risk
of having depression. Earthquake experience increased the risks of having PTSD and depression among new mothers at 8 months
later of the earthquake.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Article
- Pages 1-7
- DOI 10.1007/s00737-011-0255-x
- Authors
- Zhiyong Qu, School of Social Development and Public Policy, China Institute of Health, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Xiaohua Wang, School of Social Development and Public Policy, China Institute of Health, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Donghua Tian, School of Social Development and Public Policy, China Institute of Health, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- You Zhao, Mianyang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Mianyang, China
- Qin Zhang, MianZhu People’s Hospital, Mianzhu, China
- Huan He, School of Social Development and Public Policy, China Institute of Health, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Xiulan Zhang, School of Social Development and Public Policy, China Institute of Health, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Fan Xu, School of Social Development and Public Policy, China Institute of Health, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Suran Guo, School of Social Development and Public Policy, China Institute of Health, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Journal Archives of Women’s Mental Health
- Online ISSN 1435-1102
- Print ISSN 1434-1816