Abstract
Maternal postpartum mental health is influenced by a broad range of risk and protective factors including social circumstances.
Forty percent of Australian women resume employment in the first year postpartum, yet poor quality employment (without security,
control, flexibility or leave) has not been investigated as a potential social determinant of maternal psychological distress.
This paper examines whether poor quality jobs are associated with an increased risk of maternal postpartum psychological distress.
Data were collected from employed mothers of infants ≤12 months (n = 1,300) participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Logistic regression analyses estimated the association
between job quality and maternal psychological distress, adjusting for prior depression, social support, quality of partner
relationship, adverse life events and sociodemographic characteristics. Only 21% of women reported access to all four optimal
job conditions. After adjustment for known risk factors for poor maternal mood, mothers were significantly more likely to
report psychological distress (adjusted OR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.09, 1.77) with each reduction in the number of optimal employment
conditions. Interventions for maternal postpartum affective disorders are unlikely to be successful if major risk factors
are not addressed. These results provide strong evidence that employment conditions are associated with maternal postpartum
mood, and warrant consideration in psychosocial risk assessments and interventions.
Forty percent of Australian women resume employment in the first year postpartum, yet poor quality employment (without security,
control, flexibility or leave) has not been investigated as a potential social determinant of maternal psychological distress.
This paper examines whether poor quality jobs are associated with an increased risk of maternal postpartum psychological distress.
Data were collected from employed mothers of infants ≤12 months (n = 1,300) participating in the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children. Logistic regression analyses estimated the association
between job quality and maternal psychological distress, adjusting for prior depression, social support, quality of partner
relationship, adverse life events and sociodemographic characteristics. Only 21% of women reported access to all four optimal
job conditions. After adjustment for known risk factors for poor maternal mood, mothers were significantly more likely to
report psychological distress (adjusted OR = 1.39, 95% CI 1.09, 1.77) with each reduction in the number of optimal employment
conditions. Interventions for maternal postpartum affective disorders are unlikely to be successful if major risk factors
are not addressed. These results provide strong evidence that employment conditions are associated with maternal postpartum
mood, and warrant consideration in psychosocial risk assessments and interventions.
- Content Type Journal Article
- DOI 10.1007/s00737-010-0196-9
- Authors
- Amanda R. Cooklin, Parenting Research Centre, Level 5, 232 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
- Louise Canterford, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia
- Lyndall Strazdins, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
- Jan M. Nicholson, Parenting Research Centre, Level 5, 232 Victoria Parade, East Melbourne, VIC 3002, Australia
- Journal Archives of Women’s Mental Health
- Online ISSN 1435-1102
- Print ISSN 1434-1816