Pacific Islands Families Study: psychological distress among mothers of Pacific children living in New Zealand. 2016

Janis Paterson, and El-Shadan Tautolo, and Leon Iusitini, and Steve Taylor
National Institute for Public Health and Mental Health Research, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated: 1) the prevalence of psychological distress among a cohort of mothers of Pacific children; and 2) the socio-demographic and lifestyle variables associated with psychological distress. METHODS The Pacific Islands Families (PIF) Study is a longitudinal investigation of a cohort of Pacific children born in Auckland, New Zealand, and their mothers and fathers. The 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12) was used to assess psychological distress among mothers (N=851) at about 11 years postpartum. RESULTS Current psychological distress was reported by 19% of mothers, and six explanatory variables were significantly associated with maternal psychological distress: stressful life events, postnatal depression, marital status, maternal education, ethnicity and cultural alignment. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that the mental health of Pacific people varies by particular ethnic group and cultural alignment. This highlights the need for culturally appropriate evaluation and treatment for at-risk Pacific mothers that will break down psychological, cultural and economic barriers to accessing help for psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS By learning about factors that are potentially modifiable we can begin to identify the most appropriate ways to address their impact on psychological distress among Pacific women.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007407 Interviews as Topic Works about conversations with an individual or individuals held in order to obtain information about their background and other personal biographical data, their attitudes and opinions, etc. It includes works about school admission or job interviews. Group Interviews,Interviewers,Interviews, Telephone,Oral History as Topic,Group Interview,Interview, Group,Interview, Telephone,Interviewer,Interviews, Group,Telephone Interview,Telephone Interviews
D008137 Longitudinal Studies Studies in which variables relating to an individual or group of individuals are assessed over a period of time. Bogalusa Heart Study,California Teachers Study,Framingham Heart Study,Jackson Heart Study,Longitudinal Survey,Tuskegee Syphilis Study,Bogalusa Heart Studies,California Teachers Studies,Framingham Heart Studies,Heart Studies, Bogalusa,Heart Studies, Framingham,Heart Studies, Jackson,Heart Study, Bogalusa,Heart Study, Framingham,Heart Study, Jackson,Jackson Heart Studies,Longitudinal Study,Longitudinal Surveys,Studies, Bogalusa Heart,Studies, California Teachers,Studies, Jackson Heart,Studies, Longitudinal,Study, Bogalusa Heart,Study, California Teachers,Study, Longitudinal,Survey, Longitudinal,Surveys, Longitudinal,Syphilis Studies, Tuskegee,Syphilis Study, Tuskegee,Teachers Studies, California,Teachers Study, California,Tuskegee Syphilis Studies
D009035 Mothers Female parents, human or animal. Mothers' Clubs,Club, Mothers',Clubs, Mothers',Mother,Mother Clubs,Mother's Clubs,Mothers Clubs,Mothers' Club
D009520 New Zealand A group of islands in the southwest Pacific. Its capital is Wellington. It was discovered by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642 and circumnavigated by Cook in 1769. Colonized in 1840 by the New Zealand Company, it became a British crown colony in 1840 until 1907 when colonial status was terminated. New Zealand is a partly anglicized form of the original Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland, new sea land, possibly with reference to the Dutch province of Zeeland. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p842 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p378)
D010139 Pacific Islands The islands of the Pacific Ocean divided into MICRONESIA; MELANESIA; and POLYNESIA (including NEW ZEALAND). The collective name Oceania includes the aforenamed islands, adding AUSTRALIA; NEW ZEALAND; and the Malay Archipelago (INDONESIA). (Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p910, 880) Pacific Island,Micronesia-Polynesia
D011569 Psychiatric Status Rating Scales Standardized procedures utilizing rating scales or interview schedules carried out by health personnel for evaluating the degree of mental illness. Factor Construct Rating Scales (FCRS),Katz Adjustment Scales,Lorr's Inpatient Multidimensional Psychiatric Rating Scale,Wittenborn Scales,Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale,Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview
D002648 Child A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL. Children
D002675 Child, Preschool A child between the ages of 2 and 5. Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D005220 Fathers Male parents, human or animal. Father
D005260 Female Females

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