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Socioeconomic Status and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms among Nursing Mothers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria
Subject area: Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities · Area of research: Psychology
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and postpartum depressive symptoms among nursing mothers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. A sample of 340 nursing mothers was drawn using the snowball sampling technique across 20 wards in the Port Harcourt metropolis. Data were collected using the Socio-Economic Status and Risk of Postpartum Depression Among Nursing Mothers Questionnaire (SESRPDNMQ), which incorporated the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a socio-economic indicator scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson?s correlation and chi-square tests, were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed a non-significant inverse relationship between SES and postpartum depression, with lower SES associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms. Social support networks appeared to buffer depressive symptoms. It is recommended that government and health stakeholders establish community-based maternal mental health programs that offer affordable screening, counselling, and treatment for postpartum depression. Integrating maternal mental health care into primary health services would ensure early detection and promote psychological well-being among new mothers.
Keywords
Socioeconomic Status, Postpartum Depression, Maternal Mental Health, Social Support, Nigeria, Clinical Psychology.
References
[1] Adeyemo, A. O., et al. (2020). Prevalence and predictors of postpartum depression among postnatal women in Lagos, Nigeria. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Psychology, 12(3), 45–59.
[2] American Psychological Association. (2022). Postpartum depression: Facts and treatment. APA Press.
[3] Diderichsen, F. (1998). Social determinants of health: Pathways and mechanisms. WHO Bulletin, 76(6), 481–485.
[4] Feeney, B., & Collins, N. (2015). Thriving through relationships. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(1), 58–64.
[5] Halbreich, U., & Karkun, S. (2015). Cross-cultural and social diversity of prevalence of postpartum depression. Journal of Affective Disorders, 91(2–3), 97–111.
[6] World Health Organization. (2010). A conceptual framework for action on the social determinants of health. WHO Press.
How to cite this paper
@article{1711710,
author = {Uri Inope, Prof. Samuel A. Egbuchu, Dr. Lawretta Onyekwere},
title = {Socioeconomic Status and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms among Nursing Mothers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2025},
volume = {9},
number = {5},
pages = {2532-2533},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1711710.pdf},
abstract = {This study examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and postpartum depressive symptoms among nursing mothers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. A sample of 340 nursing mothers was drawn using the snowball sampling technique across 20 wards in the Port Harcourt metropolis. Data were collected using the Socio-Economic Status and Risk of Postpartum Depression Among Nursing Mothers Questionnaire (SESRPDNMQ), which incorporated the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a socio-economic indicator scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson?s correlation and chi-square tests, were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed a non-significant inverse relationship between SES and postpartum depression, with lower SES associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms. Social support networks appeared to buffer depressive symptoms. It is recommended that government and health stakeholders establish community-based maternal mental health programs that offer affordable screening, counselling, and treatment for postpartum depression. Integrating maternal mental health care into primary health services would ensure early detection and promote psychological well-being among new mothers.},
keywords = {Socioeconomic Status, Postpartum Depression, Maternal Mental Health, Social Support, Nigeria, Clinical Psychology.},
month = {November},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.64388/IREV9I5-1711710}
}