Longitudinal path analysis for the directional association of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder with their comorbidities and associated factors among postpartum women in Northwest Ethiopia: A cross-lagged autoregressive modelling study.

<h4>Introduction</h4>Vulnerability for depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms due to perceived traumatic birth increase during the postpartum period. Traumatic birth has been defined as an event occurring during labour and birth that may be a serious threat to the...

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Main Authors: Marelign Tilahun Malaju, Getu Degu Alene, Telake Azale Bisetegn
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273176
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author Marelign Tilahun Malaju
Getu Degu Alene
Telake Azale Bisetegn
author_facet Marelign Tilahun Malaju
Getu Degu Alene
Telake Azale Bisetegn
author_sort Marelign Tilahun Malaju
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Introduction</h4>Vulnerability for depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms due to perceived traumatic birth increase during the postpartum period. Traumatic birth has been defined as an event occurring during labour and birth that may be a serious threat to the life and safety of the mother and/or child. However, the comorbidity and multimorbidity of depression, anxiety and PTSD with their direct and indirect predictors is not well investigated in the postpartum period. In addition, the longitudinal directional association of depression, anxiety and PTSD with their comorbidities is not studied in Ethiopia.<h4>Objective</h4>The aim of this study was to assess prevalence of postnatal comorbid and multimorbid anxiety, depression and PTSD. It also aimed to determine the directional association of postnatal anxiety, depression and PTSD with the comorbidity and multimorbidity of these mental health problems over time and to explore the factors that are directly or indirectly associated with comorbidity and multimorbidity of anxiety, depression and PTSD.<h4>Methods</h4>A total of 775 women were included at the first, second and third follow-up of the study (6th, 12th and 18th week of postpartum period) during October, 2020 -March, 2021. A cross-lagged autoregressive path analysis was carried out using Stata 16.0 software in order to determine the autoregressive and cross-lagged effects of depression, anxiety and PTSD with their comorbidities. In addition, a linear structural equation modelling was also carried out to determine the direct and indirect effects of independent variables on the comorbidities of depression, anxiety and PTSD.<h4>Results</h4>Comorbidity of anxiety with depression was the most common (14.5%, 12.1% and 8.1%) at the 6th, 12th and 18th week of postnatal period respectively. With regard to the direction of association, comorbidity of PTSD (due to perceived traumatic birth) with depression, PTSD with anxiety, depression with anxiety and triple comorbidity predicted depression and anxiety in subsequent waves of measurement. Direct and indirect maternal morbidity, fear of childbirth and perceived traumatic childbirth were found to have a direct and indirect positive association with comorbidities of depression, anxiety and PTSD. In contrast, higher parity, higher family size and higher social support had a direct and indirect negative association with these mental health disorders.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Postnatal mental health screening, early diagnosis and treatment of maternal morbidities, developing encouraging strategies for social support and providing adequate information about birth procedures and response to mothers' needs during childbirth are essential to avert comorbidity of anxiety, depression and PTSD in the postpartum period.
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spelling doaj.art-d6248bb49e454f2aa9647f08ee6a47182022-12-22T03:46:46ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032022-01-01178e027317610.1371/journal.pone.0273176Longitudinal path analysis for the directional association of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder with their comorbidities and associated factors among postpartum women in Northwest Ethiopia: A cross-lagged autoregressive modelling study.Marelign Tilahun MalajuGetu Degu AleneTelake Azale Bisetegn<h4>Introduction</h4>Vulnerability for depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms due to perceived traumatic birth increase during the postpartum period. Traumatic birth has been defined as an event occurring during labour and birth that may be a serious threat to the life and safety of the mother and/or child. However, the comorbidity and multimorbidity of depression, anxiety and PTSD with their direct and indirect predictors is not well investigated in the postpartum period. In addition, the longitudinal directional association of depression, anxiety and PTSD with their comorbidities is not studied in Ethiopia.<h4>Objective</h4>The aim of this study was to assess prevalence of postnatal comorbid and multimorbid anxiety, depression and PTSD. It also aimed to determine the directional association of postnatal anxiety, depression and PTSD with the comorbidity and multimorbidity of these mental health problems over time and to explore the factors that are directly or indirectly associated with comorbidity and multimorbidity of anxiety, depression and PTSD.<h4>Methods</h4>A total of 775 women were included at the first, second and third follow-up of the study (6th, 12th and 18th week of postpartum period) during October, 2020 -March, 2021. A cross-lagged autoregressive path analysis was carried out using Stata 16.0 software in order to determine the autoregressive and cross-lagged effects of depression, anxiety and PTSD with their comorbidities. In addition, a linear structural equation modelling was also carried out to determine the direct and indirect effects of independent variables on the comorbidities of depression, anxiety and PTSD.<h4>Results</h4>Comorbidity of anxiety with depression was the most common (14.5%, 12.1% and 8.1%) at the 6th, 12th and 18th week of postnatal period respectively. With regard to the direction of association, comorbidity of PTSD (due to perceived traumatic birth) with depression, PTSD with anxiety, depression with anxiety and triple comorbidity predicted depression and anxiety in subsequent waves of measurement. Direct and indirect maternal morbidity, fear of childbirth and perceived traumatic childbirth were found to have a direct and indirect positive association with comorbidities of depression, anxiety and PTSD. In contrast, higher parity, higher family size and higher social support had a direct and indirect negative association with these mental health disorders.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Postnatal mental health screening, early diagnosis and treatment of maternal morbidities, developing encouraging strategies for social support and providing adequate information about birth procedures and response to mothers' needs during childbirth are essential to avert comorbidity of anxiety, depression and PTSD in the postpartum period.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273176
spellingShingle Marelign Tilahun Malaju
Getu Degu Alene
Telake Azale Bisetegn
Longitudinal path analysis for the directional association of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder with their comorbidities and associated factors among postpartum women in Northwest Ethiopia: A cross-lagged autoregressive modelling study.
PLoS ONE
title Longitudinal path analysis for the directional association of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder with their comorbidities and associated factors among postpartum women in Northwest Ethiopia: A cross-lagged autoregressive modelling study.
title_full Longitudinal path analysis for the directional association of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder with their comorbidities and associated factors among postpartum women in Northwest Ethiopia: A cross-lagged autoregressive modelling study.
title_fullStr Longitudinal path analysis for the directional association of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder with their comorbidities and associated factors among postpartum women in Northwest Ethiopia: A cross-lagged autoregressive modelling study.
title_full_unstemmed Longitudinal path analysis for the directional association of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder with their comorbidities and associated factors among postpartum women in Northwest Ethiopia: A cross-lagged autoregressive modelling study.
title_short Longitudinal path analysis for the directional association of depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder with their comorbidities and associated factors among postpartum women in Northwest Ethiopia: A cross-lagged autoregressive modelling study.
title_sort longitudinal path analysis for the directional association of depression anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder with their comorbidities and associated factors among postpartum women in northwest ethiopia a cross lagged autoregressive modelling study
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0273176
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