MAMTA Health Institute for Mother and Child, Delhi, India.
Department of Social Policy and Intervention, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Glob Public Health. 2021 Jul;16(7):1068-1078. doi: 10.1080/17441692.2020.1820066. Epub 2020 Sep 14.
Common mental health disorders are studied extensively among adult women globally. However, they remain under-researched among young women. This study aims to determine whether gender disadvantage factors are associated with psychological distress among young women in rural India, where the child sex ratio is lower than the national average. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in rural Pune, India. A total of 229 young married women who had a live birth in the last 12 months were screened for psychological distress. The predictors of psychological distress were estimated using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Psychological distress was found among 50 respondents (21.9%). Young women who were married before 18 years had 2.19 times higher odds of distress than women who were married after 18 years. Young women who gave birth to a female infant had 2.43 times higher odds of distress than those who gave birth to a male infant. Lack of partner support and experience of postnatal health complications were other predictors. Study findings ascertain the role of gender disadvantage factors in causing psychological distress. From a public health perspective, early identification and treatment of psychological distress, is imperative, along with addressing gender inequitable practices.
常见的精神健康障碍在全球成年女性中得到了广泛研究，但在年轻女性中仍研究不足。本研究旨在确定在印度农村地区，性别劣势因素是否与年轻女性的心理困扰有关，该地区的儿童性别比例低于全国平均水平。在印度浦那农村进行了一项横断面调查。共对 229 名在过去 12 个月中有活产的年轻已婚妇女进行了心理困扰筛查。使用多变量逻辑回归分析估计心理困扰的预测因素。结果发现 50 名受访者（21.9%）存在心理困扰。与 18 岁以后结婚的女性相比，18 岁以前结婚的年轻女性心理困扰的几率高 2.19 倍。与生育男婴的女性相比，生育女婴的年轻女性心理困扰的几率高 2.43 倍。缺乏伴侣支持和经历产后健康并发症也是其他预测因素。研究结果证实了性别劣势因素在导致心理困扰方面的作用。从公共卫生的角度来看，早期识别和治疗心理困扰，以及解决性别不平等的做法，是至关重要的。
