Ying Lau1, Lei Yin. 1. School of Health Sciences, Macao Polytechnic Institute, 5/F Centro Hotline Building, No. 335-341, Alameda Dr. Carlos D' Assumpcao, Macao Special Administrative Region, China. ylau@ipm.edu.mo
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: to identify associations between demographic, socio-economic and obstetric variables and health-related quality of life with perceived stress among Macao Chinese pregnant women. DESIGN: a cross-sectional, exploratory quantitative study. SETTING: an antenatal clinic of a university-affiliated regional public hospital in Macao. PARTICIPANTS: a community-based sample (n = 1151) of pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy. MEASUREMENTS: perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale, and health-related quality of life was measured using the standard Short Form-12 Health Survey. FINDINGS: a multiple linear regression analysis revealed that pregnant women who were younger (β = 0.085, p = 0.002), single, divorced, separated or cohabiting (β = 0.067, p < 0.009), had a lower level of education (β = 0.079, p = 0.003), worked long hours (β = 0.102, p < 0.001) or who had an unplanned pregnancy (β = 0.063, p = 0.014) with late initiation of antenatal care (β = 0.066, p = 0.008) or poor physical (β = -0.501, p < 0.001) or mental (β = -0.115, p < 0.001) health-related quality of life had higher levels of perceived stress. CONCLUSION: preliminary information was provided about Macao pregnant women who had higher perceived stress during pregnancy that was associated with the demographic, socio-economic, obstetric and health-related quality-of-life variables. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: the development of a checklist or structured questions for clinical situations is necessary, and programmes of stress management should be tailor made during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE: to identify associations between demographic, socio-economic and obstetric variables and health-related quality of life with perceived stress among Macao Chinese pregnant women. DESIGN: a cross-sectional, exploratory quantitative study. SETTING: an antenatal clinic of a university-affiliated regional public hospital in Macao. PARTICIPANTS: a community-based sample (n = 1151) of pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy. MEASUREMENTS: perceived stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale, and health-related quality of life was measured using the standard Short Form-12 Health Survey. FINDINGS: a multiple linear regression analysis revealed that pregnant women who were younger (β = 0.085, p = 0.002), single, divorced, separated or cohabiting (β = 0.067, p < 0.009), had a lower level of education (β = 0.079, p = 0.003), worked long hours (β = 0.102, p < 0.001) or who had an unplanned pregnancy (β = 0.063, p = 0.014) with late initiation of antenatal care (β = 0.066, p = 0.008) or poor physical (β = -0.501, p < 0.001) or mental (β = -0.115, p < 0.001) health-related quality of life had higher levels of perceived stress. CONCLUSION: preliminary information was provided about Macao pregnant women who had higher perceived stress during pregnancy that was associated with the demographic, socio-economic, obstetric and health-related quality-of-life variables. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: the development of a checklist or structured questions for clinical situations is necessary, and programmes of stress management should be tailor made during pregnancy.