Level of happiness and its determining factors in pregnant women: a cross-sectional study

Factors associated with happiness among community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

To identify factors associated with self-reported happiness among community-dwelling older adults.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was conducted. Searches were conducted in the PsycInfo, Web of Science, Scopus and Pubmed databases for relevant articles published in English, Spanish or Portuguese using the following search strategy and Boolean operators: (happiness*) AND (elder* OR (old adult*)). No restriction was imposed with regards to year of publication. This review was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42018107302).

RESULTS

Forty-six articles met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Economic, social and health-related factors were associated with happiness among community-dwelling older adults. The sociodemographic characteristics of older adults, such as the female sex, being married, an older age, a higher level of schooling and having a religion, were also associated with happiness.

CONCLUSIONS

The articles included in the present systematic review demonstrate that social, economic and health-related aspects have an association with happiness in community-dwelling older adults.

Health, Hope, and Harmony: A Systematic Review of the Determinants of Happiness across Cultures and Countries

The aim of this study was to review the literature on what constitutes happiness across cultures and countries to advance scholarly knowledge on the happiness construct. A systematic review was conducted to examine the determinants of happiness in samples across cultures and countries. Five different databases, including APA PsycNet, EBSCO-Academic, EBSCO-Business, Project MUSE, and Google Scholar, grey literature, and in-text references from relevant review articles were used. A total of 155 articles were included in the review, encompassing studies from over 100 countries and 44 cultures. Myriad determinants of happiness were found that were placed into three broad categories labeled Health, Hope, and Harmony. The predominant happiness determinants were mental, emotional, and physical well-being, a purposeful holistic work-life balance, nurturing social relationships, caring for self and others, and being in harmony with one's culture, traditions, community, religion, and environment. This study engendered an "Integrated Model of the Determinants of Happiness" to provide a universally applicable conceptualization of the happiness construct. By examining studies on determinants of happiness across the globe in the past 90 years, this review uncovered that happiness constitutes multiple determinants that fall under three major categories: 'Health', 'Hope', and 'Harmony'.

Happiness and associated factors amongst pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates: The Mutaba'ah Study

OBJECTIVE

Prenatal happiness and life satisfaction research are often over-shadowed by other pregnancy and birth outcomes. This analysis investigated the level of, and factors associated with happiness amongst pregnant women in the United Arab Emirates.

METHODS

Baseline cross-sectional data was analyzed from the Mutaba'ah Study, a large population-based prospective cohort study in the UAE. This analysis included all expectant mothers who completed the baseline self-administered questionnaire about sociodemographic and pregnancy-related information between May 2017 and July 2021. Happiness was assessed on a 10-point scale (1 = very unhappy; 10 = very happy). Regression models were used to evaluate the association between various factors and happiness.

RESULTS

Overall, 9,350 pregnant women were included, and the majority (60.9%) reported a happiness score of ≥8 (median). Higher levels of social support, planned pregnancies and primi-gravidity were independently associated with higher odds of being happier; adjusted odds ratio (aOR (95% CI): 2.02 (1.71-2.38), 1.34 (1.22-1.47), and 1.41 (1.23-1.60), respectively. Women anxious about childbirth had lower odds of being happier (aOR: 0.58 (0.52-0.64).

CONCLUSION

Self-reported happiness levels were high among pregnant women in the UAE. Health services enhancing social support and promoting well-being during pregnancy and childbirth may ensure continued happiness during pregnancy in the UAE.

Level of Happiness and Its Associated Factors Among Pregnant Women in South Gondar Zone Hospitals, North Central Ethiopia

Background

Happiness is the most indicator of good quality of life particularly for pregnant women. Reduced happiness of pregnant women can result in reduced maternal health services utilization and can result in adverse newborn and maternal outcomes. Assessing the level of happiness and its factors are important for pregnant women and the next generation. Hence, the current research paper aimed to assess the level of happiness and its associated factors among pregnant women who attended antenatal care follow-up in South Gondar Zone Hospitals.

Methods

Institution-based cross-sectional study was carried out from September 2018 to February 2019 among 1606 expectant pregnant women in the last 6 months. The Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) was used as a measure of the degree of happiness and used four as average person score. Besides, bivariate, multivariable logistic analyses were deployed to identify associations.

Results

A total of 1606 pregnant women were participating in this study. The prevalence of low level of pregnancy happiness in this study was 24% (95% CI: 20.7 −26.6). Mothers who exposed to unintended pregnancy (AOR; 1.94, CI 95% 1.86–4.52), reported intimate partner violence (AOR; 2.42, 95% CI 1.67–3.54) and being in the third trimester (AOR; 1.89 95% CI 1.19–3.01) were the most predictor variables with the low level of happiness.

Conclusion

Approximately one-fourth of the pregnant women had a low level of pregnancy happiness. Mothers who were exposed to unintended pregnancy encountered intimate partner violence, who were in the third trimester were the most significant variables associated with a low level of happiness. Governmental and non-governmental organizations work on women’s reproduction rights and the zonal health department with local health offices should educate on the prevention of intimate partner violence and unintended pregnancy and its consequences and also empower women to cope with changes and challenges of pregnancy and childbirth.

Postpartum Maternal Mood Among Hadza Foragers of Tanzania: A Mixed Methods Approach

Infant and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world in low and middle-income countries where postpartum depression impacts at least one in five women. Currently, there is a dearth of data on maternal mood and infant health outcomes in small-scale non-industrial populations from such countries, particularly during the postnatal period. Here, we present the first investigation of postpartum maternal mood among a foraging population, the Hadza of Tanzania. We administered the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) to twenty-three women, all with infants under the age of 12 months. Semi-structured interviews on happiness and unhappiness during the post-partum period served as a validity cross-check for the EPDS. The combined results of the EPDS surveys and the interview responses suggest that a high proportion of Hadza women experience significant mood disturbances following birth and that postpartum unhappiness is associated with self-reports of pain, anxiety, and disturbed sleep patterns. These findings suggest that many of the mothers in our sample are experiencing post-partum unhappiness at levels similar to or higher than those reported for low to middle income countries in general, including Tanzania. These data are critical for improving our understanding of the etiologies of postpartum mood disturbances cross-culturally.

Pregnancy planning, timing, happiness and depressive symptoms among low-income women living with and without HIV

OBJECTIVE

This study assessed associations of sociodemographic factors and pregnancy intent and wantedness with pregnancy happiness and prenatal depressive symptoms and the relationship between prenatal depressive symptoms and pregnancy happiness.

BACKGROUND

Depression is the leading cause of disability world-wide and more so for women. Women are most likely to experience depression in their child bearing years, including during pregnancy. Untreated prenatal depression, associated with unwanted pregnancies endangers the health and wellbeing of the mother and her child. Research on the association of prenatal depression with pregnancy happiness among women with low incomes in the U.S.A. is limited. For women living with HIV, associations among family planning factors, pregnancy feelings and prenatal depression have been understudied.

METHODS

Sixty-four women living with HIV and 194 HIV-negative low-income pregnant women receiving care in a public university-based ob-gyn clinic with integrated HIV-care in Philadelphia between 2009 and 2012 participated in the study. The women completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic and pregnancy factors and the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). The independent associations of sociodemographic and pregnancy factors with pregnancy happiness and associations of these factors and pregnancy happiness with the CES-D were assessed using multivariable linear regressions.

RESULTS

Women who felt the pregnancy was too soon were less happy being pregnant (p < 0.01). Prenatal depressive symptoms were inversely associated with happiness with being pregnant and completing high school (p < 0.001 for both).

CONCLUSION

Health care professionals need to provide reproductive counselling and mental health for prenatal depression should explore feelings about being pregnant and being a mother.