THE PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE TO PERINATAL WOMEN IN SELECTED MATERNITY CENTERS IN OYO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Anxiety and depression affect women, especially the perinatal women within the first year of childbirth and this usually leads to development of various health challenges including psychosocial problems. The study assesses the psychosocial supports available to perinatal women in selected maternity centers in Oyo State, Nigeria. A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted involving 323 perinatal women selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured validated questionnaire, and were analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 25 with results summarized through descriptive statistics and chi square tests to identify significant relationships. Findings revealed that midwives’ counsel is the most available psychosocial support for 83.2% perinatal women; and family support was available for 30% of them. There is a significant association between the socio-demographic characteristics such as age, religion, ethnicity, level of education, marital status, family type of respondents and their psychosocial support (P<0.05). The study affirmed that psychosocial supports like friends’ and family supports, counseling, health education and psychotherapy greatly improve the women’s psychosocial and emotional wellbeing with positive mental health behavior. It further recommended that health care providers of perinatal services need to constantly assess perinatal women to know their psychological status with a view of instituting short and regular mental health training for effective holistic care.