INTRODUCTION

Differences in mental health and wellbeing in women living in Long Beach, Ca.

Angelina Majeno, MPH(c), Maria Morales, B.A., Arlene E. Garcia Lira B.A., Guido Urizar, Ph.D. California State University, Long Beach

MEASURES RESULTS

PURPOSE

q A multitude of health disparities affect people residing in the North, West Central, and Southwest regions of Long Beach, CA. These include shorter life expectancies, higher hospitalization rates, higher rates of diabetes and asthma, and higher homicide rates (City of Long Beach, DHHS, 2013).

q Social, economic, and environmental factors including income, educational attainment, and access to green space also differ greatly across areas of Long Beach; with the North, West Central, and Southwest areas having lower household incomes, less access to recreational spaces, and smaller percentage of high school graduates (City of Long Beach, DHHS, 2013).

q The built environment and neighborhoods in which mothers live can have a great impact on their mental health and wellbeing by affecting social relationships, and capacity to deal with stress (Evans, 2003).

q In this study we sought to explore two questions: 1.  How do social and physical determinants of health

(age, marital status, ethnicity, and geographic region of Long Beach in which women live) impact women’s mental health (i.e. postnatal depression and perceived stress)?

2.  How do social and physical determinants of health (age, marital status, ethnicity, and geographic region of Long Beach in which women live) impact women’s wellbeing (maternal-infant attachment, social support, and quality of sleep)?

  Mental Health   Depression   Stress Predictor variables B SE(B) Β ∆R2   B SE(B) β ∆R2 Step 1: Social Determinants of health

                 

Age -.03 1.00 -.04 .00   -.19 .14 -.15 .03

Marital Status -.92 1.26 -.89 .01   -.78 1.76 -.05 .00

Ethnicity -.76 1.38 -.07 .00   -.71 1.92 -.04 .00

Step 2: Physical determinants of health: Neighborhood

       

         

North Long Beach 5.71 2.57 .38* .03   9.26 3.61 .41* .03*

West Long Beach 3.68 2.16 .35 .01   4.54 3.03 .30 .00

East Long Beach 3.37 2.34 .27 .03   5.02 3.27 .28 .00

*p < .05

Research aim 1: How do social and physical determinants of health impact women’s mental health (i.e. postnatal depression and perceived stress)?

  Wellbeing   Maternal-infant

attachment   Social support   Sleep quality

Predictor variables B SE(B) β ∆R2   B SE(B) β ∆R2   B SE(B) β ∆R2 Step 1 :Social determinants of health

                           

Age .09 .10 .11 .01   .09 .29 .04 .00   .07 .06 .12 .01

Marital Status -1.05 1.22 -.10 .00   -3.80 3.65 -.12 .01  

-.20 .75 -.03 .01 Ethnicity -3.19 1.33 -.27* .07*  

-.08 4.02 -.00 .00   2.40 .83 .32** .10**

Step 2: Physical determinants of health

                           

North Long Beach -3.59 2.49 -.23 .06*   -20.39 7.20 -.45** .14***   1.72 1.56 .18 .04

West Long Beach .44 2.09 .04 .00   -3.27 6.04 -.11 .00   -.28 1.31 -.04 .00

East Long Beach -.49 2.27 -.04 .00   -3.24 6.56 -.09 .00   -.09 1.43 -.01 .00 *p < .05, **p<.01, ***p<.001 METHODS

q  Procedure: Women who participated in a longitudinal study on pregnancy and health completed an interviewer-administered survey at 3 months post-partum. Data were coded, entered, and verified by trained research assistants. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted.

q  Participants: 100 low-income women (μ age= 26.00, sd=6.26), 71% Latina. Participants’ zip codes were coded based on L.B. Police Dept. Patrol Divisions.

Mental Health Postnatal Depression

Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)

10-item measure that identifies risk for perinatal depression. Higher scores indicate depressed mood.

Perceived Stress

Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)

14-item measure assessing life situations that are perceived as stressful. Higher scores indicate higher levels of perceived stress.

Wellbeing Maternal Attachment

Maternal Fetal Attachment Scale (MFAS)

Measures the interactions between a mother and their child. Higher scores indicate a higher degree of attachment between mother and baby.

Sleep Quality

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)

19 item measure assesses sleep quality and disturbances throughout a one- month period. Higher scores represent worse sleep quality.

Social Support

Medical Outcomes Study Social Support (MOS)

20-item questionnaire that measures a variety of different types of social support. Higher scores indicate higher levels of social support.

Research aim 2: How do social and physical determinants of health impact women’s wellbeing (maternal-infant attachment, social support, and quality of sleep)?

SAMPLE CHARACTERISTICS

Areas of Long Beach

Higher levels of depression and perceived stress were associated with living in North Long Beach. Age, marital status, and ethnicity were not associated with mental health markers.

Lower levels of maternal attachment and worse sleep quality were associated with being a Latina. Lower levels of maternal attachment and social support were reported by women living in North Long Beach.

CONCLUSIONS

q Latina women and those living in the North region of Long Beach showed worse outcomes compared to their non-Latina counterparts and those living in other areas of Long Beach or outside Long Beach.

q These findings complement previous literature that has documented negative health outcomes in the North region of Long Beach. Given that people living in this area already face a myriad of health challenges, it is important to advance our understanding of what factors are driving these issues.

Acknowledgements: This research was supported by the National Institute on Child Health and Human Development. Many thanks to the mothers who participated in this study. For more information For more information on this and other related projects visit: www.csulb.edu/~gurizar/index.htm.