The prevalence of anxiety in pregnant women at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital

South African Journal of Psychiatry

 
 
Field Value
 
Title The prevalence of anxiety in pregnant women at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital
 
Creator Narayan, Lisha Johnson, Corinne T. Marsay, Carina Y.
 
Subject Medicine; Psychiatry; Obstetrics antenatal; anxiety; GAD-7; maternal mental health; prevalence; pregnancy; psychiatry; associated factors
Description Background: Non-psychotic mental disorders are common during the perinatal period. In South Africa, there are few studies on antenatal anxiety and these results vary. Antenatal anxiety does not only add to the burden of perinatal co-morbidity but has subsequent immediate and long-term effects on the mother, birth outcomes and her offspring.Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anxiety symptoms in pregnant women during the antenatal period and to determine associated factors.Setting: The study was conducted at an antenatal clinic located in Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital (CHBAH), Soweto, Johannesburg. Data were collected from March to December 2022.Methods: This was a prospective, cross-sectional study in which 200 pregnant women were interviewed. A biographical questionnaire and the generalised anxiety disorder questionnaire (GAD-7) were administered.Results: The prevalence of anxiety symptoms in pregnant women attending the antenatal clinic was 33%. Participants with anxiety were younger, employed and had lower perceived social support. Women with planned and wanted pregnancies had a lower prevalence of anxiety.Conclusion: One-third of the pregnant women screened positive for anxiety symptoms on the GAD-7. This is significantly higher compared to other studies carried out in the same facility previously. High-risk groups should be screened for anxiety.Contribution: This study prompts further studies and guiding policies on routine screening of pregnant women for anxiety and other mental illnesses during pregnancy.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor Dr Belinda Marais University of the Witwatersrand Faculty of Health Sciences Department of Psychiatry
Date 2024-07-23
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — Prospective; cross sectional; quantitative; observational study
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v30i0.2250
 
Source South African Journal of Psychiatry; Vol 30 (2024); 8 pages 2078-6786 1608-9685
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2250/3474 https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2250/3475 https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2250/3476 https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/2250/3478
 
Coverage Africa; South Africa; Gauteng; Johannesburg; Soweto 2022 Age, Gender; Level of education; Employment; Relationship status; Pregnant Women
Rights Copyright (c) 2024 Lisha Narayan, Corinne T. Johnson, Carina Y. Marsay https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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