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The Change in the QOL (Quality of Life), Emotional State, and SOC (Sense of Coherence) from Pregnancy to the First Month After Delivery in the Case of Japanese Females

Monday, July 11, 2011

Toshiko Matsushita, PhD1
Keiko Okabe, MS1
Michi Harada, MS2
Sachiko Matsumoto, RN3
Kayoko Fujita, RN4
Toyoko Kamisaka, MS5
Kyoko Ueno, RN5
Kazumi Maruyama, RN6
Terumi Suzuki, RN6
Yukiko Sakaguchi, MS1
Eri Ugajin, RN1
Hitomi Tanaka, MS1
(1)School of nursing, Faculty of Health and Medical Care, Saitama Medical University, Saitama Prefecture, Japan
(2)Department of Nursing, Kyushu University of Nursing and Social Welfare, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan
(3)Department of Obstetrics, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama prefecture, Japan
(4)Department of Obstetrics, Narimasu Maternity & Women's Care, Tokyo, Japan
(5)Nursing Department, Hamanomachi Hospital, Fukuoka prefecture, Japan
(6)Nursing Department, Sanno Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to care the females during pregnancy and after delivery in consideration of their QOL and emotional state.

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to use SOC as a indicator of the QOL and emotional state of females during pregnancy and after delivery.

Purpose: The purpose of study is to clarify the changes that occur in the QOL, emotional state, and SOC scores of a woman from pregnancy to the first month after delivery, and the relationship amongst these scores.

Methods: We implemented a self-reported investigation (longitudinal study). The questionnaire included items in the Japanese version of EuroQol, Sakano’s emotional state scale, and the Japanese version of the SOC scale. The questionnaire was filled out at four time points: (1) at the beginning of pregnancy, (2) during late pregnancy, (3) within five days after delivery, and (4) at the first month after delivery.

Results: The average SOC scores of the 359 subjects was 60.3 points (1), 59.7 points (2), 61.7 points (3), and 59.3 points (4). There was no significant difference between the scores recorded during the four time points. The average SOC scores were higher for the females during pregnancy and after delivery than for the general population of women. Next, the average depression scores on Sakano’s emotional state scale were 17.4 points, 13.5 points, 12.8 points, and 13.3 points (P < .01). The scores for the other emotional states also showed the same change. Furthermore, the average EuroQol scores were 0.845 points, 1.151 points, 0.708 points, and 0.875 points (P < .01). Lastly, the multiple regression analysis (dependent variables: the lowest QOL score and the highest depression score) showed that the QOL within 5 days after delivery was explained by the SOC score, age, number of deliveries, and QOL score at early pregnancy and that the depression at early pregnancy was explained by the age, number of deliveries, and QOL at early pregnancy.   

Conclusion: It was suggested that the QOL of females after delivery was affected by their SOC.

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