IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/jocnur/v26y2017i15-16p2372-2383.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cumulative trauma and partner conflict predict post‐traumatic stress disorder in postpartum African‐American women

Author

Listed:
  • Nancy J Hauff
  • Judith Fry‐McComish
  • Lisa M Chiodo

Abstract

Aim and objective To describe relationships between cumulative trauma, partner conflict and post‐traumatic stress in African‐American postpartum women. Background Cumulative trauma exposure estimates for women in the USA range from 51–69%. During pregnancy, most trauma research has focused on physical injury to the mother. Post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with trauma and more prevalent in African‐American women than women of other groups. Knowledge about both the rate and impact of cumulative trauma on pregnancy may contribute to our understanding of women seeking prenatal care, and disparities in infant morbidity and mortality. Design This retrospective, correlational, cross‐sectional study took place on postpartum units of two Detroit hospitals. Participants were 150 African‐American women aged between 18–45 who had given birth. Methods Mothers completed the Cumulative Trauma Scale, Conflict Tactics Scale, Clinician Administered Post‐traumatic Stress Scale, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and a Demographic Data form. Descriptive statistics, correlations and multiple regressions were used for data analysis. Results All participants reported at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Cumulative trauma and partner conflict predicted PTSD, with the trauma of a life‐threatening event for a loved one reported by 60% of the sample. Nearly, one‐fourth of the women screened were at risk for PTSD. Increased cumulative trauma, increased partner conflict and lower level of education were related to higher rates of PTSD symptoms. Conclusion Both cumulative trauma and partner conflict in the past year predict PTSD. Reasoning was used most often for partner conflict resolution. Relevance to Clinical Practice The results of this study offer additional knowledge regarding relationships between cumulative trauma, partner conflict and PTSD in African‐American women. Healthcare providers need to be sensitive to patient life‐threatening events, personal failures, abuse and other types of trauma. Current evidence supports the need to assess for post‐traumatic stress symptoms during pregnancy.

Suggested Citation

  • Nancy J Hauff & Judith Fry‐McComish & Lisa M Chiodo, 2017. "Cumulative trauma and partner conflict predict post‐traumatic stress disorder in postpartum African‐American women," Journal of Clinical Nursing, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 26(15-16), pages 2372-2383, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:jocnur:v:26:y:2017:i:15-16:p:2372-2383
    DOI: 10.1111/jocn.13421
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13421
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1111/jocn.13421?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kotelchuck, M., 1994. "The Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index: Its US distribution and association with low birthweight," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 84(9), pages 1486-1489.
    2. Kotelchuck, M., 1994. "An evaluation of the Kessner Adequacy of Prenatal Care Index and a proposed Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 84(9), pages 1414-1420.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Dhaval M. Dave & Robert Kaestner & George L. Wehby, 2015. "Does Medicaid Coverage for Pregnant Women Affect Prenatal Health Behaviors?," NBER Working Papers 21049, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Sai Ma & Brian Finch, 2010. "Birth Outcome Measures and Infant Mortality," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 29(6), pages 865-891, December.
    3. Reime, Birgit & Ratner, Pamela A. & Tomaselli-Reime, Sandra N. & Kelly, Ann & Schuecking, Beate A. & Wenzlaff, Paul, 2006. "The role of mediating factors in the association between social deprivation and low birth weight in Germany," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(7), pages 1731-1744, April.
    4. Brian S. Armour & M. Melinda Pitts & Mary Beth Walker, 2011. "A decomposition of the black-white differential in birth outcomes," FRB Atlanta Working Paper 2011-01, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
    5. Narayan Sastry & Jon M. Hussey, 2002. "Explaining Race and Ethnic Disparities in Birthweight in Chicago Neighborhoods," Working Papers 02-14, RAND Corporation.
    6. George L. Wehby & Dhaval M. Dave & Robert Kaestner, 2020. "Effects of the Minimum Wage on Infant Health," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(2), pages 411-443, March.
    7. Sparks, P. Johnelle, 2009. "Do biological, sociodemographic, and behavioral characteristics explain racial/ethnic disparities in preterm births?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 68(9), pages 1667-1675, May.
    8. Shoff, Carla & Yang, Tse-Chuan, 2013. "Understanding maternal smoking during pregnancy: Does residential context matter?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 50-60.
    9. Thorsen, Maggie L. & Thorsen, Andreas & McGarvey, Ronald, 2019. "Operational efficiency, patient composition and regional context of U.S. health centers: Associations with access to early prenatal care and low birth weight," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 143-152.
    10. Yang, Tse-Chuan & Shoff, Carla & Noah, Aggie J. & Black, Nyesha & Sparks, Corey S., 2014. "Racial segregation and maternal smoking during pregnancy: A multilevel analysis using the racial segregation interaction index," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 26-36.
    11. Brian Finch, 2003. "Early origins of the gradient: the relationship between socioeconomic status and infant mortality in the United States," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 40(4), pages 675-699, November.
    12. Engy Ziedan & Robert Kaestner, 2020. "Effect of Prescription Opioids and Prescription Opioid Control Policies on Infant Health," NBER Working Papers 26749, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Peter Congdon, 2001. "Predicting adverse infant health outcomes using routine screening variables: Modelling the impact of interdependent risk factors," Journal of Applied Statistics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(2), pages 183-197.
    14. Bell, Janice F. & Zimmerman, Frederick J. & Almgren, Gunnar R. & Mayer, Jonathan D. & Huebner, Colleen E., 2006. "Birth outcomes among urban African-American women: A multilevel analysis of the role of racial residential segregation," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(12), pages 3030-3045, December.
    15. Laura Tiehen & Alison Jacknowitz, 2008. "Why Wait?: Examining Delayed Wic Participation Among Pregnant Women," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 26(4), pages 518-538, October.
    16. Dhaval M. Dave & Robert Kaestner & George L. Wehby, 2019. "Does public insurance coverage for pregnant women affect prenatal health behaviors?," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 32(2), pages 419-453, April.
    17. Lin-Lin Dai & Yuan-Yuan Mao & Xiao-Ming Luo & Yue-Ping Shen, 2014. "Prenatal Care in Combination with Maternal Educational Level Has a Synergetic Effect on the Risk of Neonatal Low Birth Weight: New Findings in a Retrospective Cohort Study in Kunshan City, China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(11), pages 1-13, November.
    18. W. Frisbie & Robert Hummer & Daniel Powers & Seung-Eun Song & Starling Pullum, 2010. "Race/Ethnicity/Nativity Differentials and Changes in Cause-Specific Infant Deaths in the Context of Declining Infant Mortality in the U.S.: 1989–2001," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 29(3), pages 395-422, June.
    19. Narayan Sastry & Jon M. Hussey, 2002. "Explaining Race and Ethnic Disparities in Birthweight in Chicago Neighborhoods," Working Papers DRU-2933, RAND Corporation.
    20. R. Todd Jewell & Patricia Triunfo, 2006. "Bajo peso al nacer en Uruguay: implicaciones para las políticas de salud," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 1706, Department of Economics - dECON.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:jocnur:v:26:y:2017:i:15-16:p:2372-2383. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1111/(ISSN)1365-2702 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.