204929 Effects of discrimination and dissatisfaction with partner support on stress during pregnancy: Findings from the Los Angeles Mommy and Baby (LAMB) Survey

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Angie Denisse Otiniano, MPH , School of Public Health Department of Community Health Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Eunice Muthengi Karei, MPH, MSW , Department of Community Health Sciences, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
Fathima Wakeel, PhDc , Department of Community Health Sciences, University of California Los Angeles School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
Akilah Wise, MSPH , Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Michael C. Lu, MD, MPH , Department of Community Health Sciences and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California Los Angeles School of Public Health and School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between stress, discrimination, and partner support. METHODS: Data from the first wave of 2007 Los Angeles Mommy and Baby (LAMB) Survey was used. LAMB is a mail sample survey with telephone follow-up for non-respondents based on multistage clustered design. Preliminary analyses were based on the responses of 1,258 women with a live birth in 2007 in Los Angeles County. Stress was measured using Cohen's nine-item perceived stress scale. Discrimination was measured using Krieger's seven-item discrimination scale. Stress, discrimination, and partner support were examined using Pearson's chi square tests and logistic regression. RESULTS: Among all respondents, 12.34% reported stress during pregnancy; 15.46% reported discrimination during pregnancy; and 12.69% reported dissatisfaction with partner support. 22.78% of women reporting discrimination during pregnancy also reported stress during pregnancy; only 10.38% of women reporting no discrimination also reported stress (p<0.0001). 38.78% of women reporting dissatisfaction with partner support also reported stress during pregnancy; only 8.13% of women reporting satisfaction, reported stress (p<0.001). When discrimination was included as the only predictor of stress, the expected odds of reporting stress for women who experienced discrimination was 2.55 times greater than the odds of women who did not experience discrimination (p<0.0001). When dissatisfaction with partner support was added to the model, this effect remained significant (OR=1.89; p=0.007). Additionally, the effect of dissatisfaction with partner support on reported stress was significant net of discrimination (OR=6.60; p<0.0001). DISCUSSION: These findings suggest discrimination during pregnancy and dissatisfaction with partner support contribute to stress during pregnancy.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this session, the participants will be able to • Discuss the importance of maternal stress to maternal health and pregnancy outcomes; • Discuss the relationship between discrimination and maternal stress; • Discuss the relationship between partner support and maternal stress.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been working with LAMB for over a year as a first year and second year PhD student.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

See more of: Joint Poster Session: Child Care and Los Angeles Mother Baby Survey
See more of: Maternal and Child Health