| Abstract | Trudnoća je osjetljivo razdoblje u životu žene, a od pojave pandemije bolesti COVID-19 došlo je do porasta prevalencije depresivnih i anksioznih smetnji te psihičke uznemirenosti trudnica u odnosu na period prije pandemije. Međutim, nedovoljno se zna o faktorima povezanima s psihičkim zdravljem trudnica tijekom pandemije. Cilj istraživanja bio je ispitati korelate psihičke uznemirenosti trudnica tijekom pandemije bolesti COVID-19 u Hrvatskoj te provjeriti faktorsku strukturu i pouzdanost Ljestvice trudničkog stresa povezanog s pandemijom (PREPS), konstruirane početkom pandemije (Preis i sur., 2020). Trudnice (N = 1168) su ispunile online upitnik koji je uključivao CORE-OM, Ljestvicu percipirane podrške partnera, Ljestvicu PREPS, dvije podljestvice Ljestvice zabrinutosti u trudnoći, Upitnik sociodemografskih obilježja, Upitnik opstetričkih faktora, Upitnik općih životnih stresora i Upitnik pandemijskih stresora. Modelom zajedničkih faktora potvrdili smo originalnu trofaktorsku strukturu PREPS-a sa sljedećim ekstrahiranim faktorima: PREPS-zaraza, PREPS-pozitivno iskustvo i PREPS-nepripremljenost. Cronbachove alfe bile su zadovoljavajuće za sve tri podljestvice PREPS-a. Povišeni rezultat na ljestvici PREPS-nepripremljenost imalo je 26.2% trudnica, a na ljestvici PREPS-zaraza čak 38.5%. O klinički značajnoj razini psihičke uznemirenosti izvijestilo je 29.5% trudnica. Hijerarhijska regresijska analiza s psihičkom uznemirenosti kao kriterijem i sedam blokova prediktora (sociodemografski faktori, opstetrički faktori, opći životni stresori, pandemijski stresori, zabrinutost za zdravlje ploda, vlastito zdravlje i porođaj, trudnički stres povezan s pandemijom i percipirana podrška partnera) pokazala je da o većoj psihičkoj uznemirenosti izvještavaju mlađe trudnice, višerotkinje, trudnice koje svoju trudnoću opisuju kao neplaniranu i rizičnu, koje doživljavaju veći broj općih životnih i pandemijskih stresora, koje su u većoj mjeri zabrinute za zdravlje ploda, vlastito zdravlje i porođaj, koje doživljavaju višu razinu trudničkog stresa povezanog s osjećajem nepripremljenosti za porođaj i poslijeporođajni period zbog pandemije te koje imaju nižu percipiranu podršku partnera. Regresijski model objasnio je 43% varijance psihičke uznemirenosti trudnica. Istraživanje doprinosi razumijevanju iskustva trudnoće i psihičkog zdravlja trudnica tijekom pandemije u Hrvatskoj. |
| Abstract (english) | Pregnancy is known as a sensitive period in women’s life. Research has revealed increased levels of psychological distress, anxiety, and depression among pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about the factors associated with the mental health of pregnant women during the pandemic. The aim of this study was twofold. Firstly, we aimed to examine correlates of psychological distress in pregnant women in Croatia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, we examined factor structure and reliability of the Pandemic Related Pregnancy Stress Scale (PREPS), developed at the beginning of the pandemic (Preis et al., 2020). Pregnant women (N = 1168) completed the online survey, which included CORE-OM, Perceived Partner Support Scale, PREPS, two subscales of the Pregnancy Concerns Scale, questions on sociodemographic and obstetric factors, general life stressors, and pandemic stressors. The principal axis factoring method confirmed the three-factor structure of the PREPS, with the following factors extracted: Infection Stress, Positive Appraisal, and Preparedness Stress. Cronbach alpha coefficients were satisfactory for all three subscales of the PREPS. One-third (38.5%) of participants reported elevated infection stress, 26.2% reported elevated preparedness stress, and 29.5% had a clinically significant level of psychological distress. A hierarchical regression analysis with the psychological distress as a criterion variable and seven blocks of predictor variables (sociodemographic factors, obstetric factors, general life stressors, pandemic stressors, concerns about fetal health, own health and childbirth, pandemic-related pregnancy stress, and perceived partner support) showed that higher psychological distress was associated with younger age, multiparity, unplanned and high-risk pregnancy, a higher number of general life stressors and pandemic stressors, higher level of concerns about fetal health, own health and childbirth, higher pandemic-related pregnancy (un)preparedness stress, and lower perceived partner support. The regression model explained 43% of the variance in pregnant women’s psychological distress The study contributes to an understanding of the experiences and the mental health of pregnant women during the pandemic. |
