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2019-nCOV distress and depressive, anxiety and OCD-type, and eating disorder symptoms among postpartum and control women.

Author
Abstract
:

This study compared postpartum and control women on depressive, anxiety, and OCD-type symptoms, and eating disorder symptoms during the 2019-nCOV pandemic and evaluated if associations between 2019-nCOV distress and these mental health symptoms differed for postpartum compared to control women. A community sample of women, ages 18-39, who had either given birth in the past 12 months (n = 232) or had no pregnancy history (n = 137; controls), was recruited to complete an online survey about their depressive, anxiety, OCD, and eating disorder symptoms. Postpartum women reported greater OCD-type symptoms related to concerns about both contamination and responsibility for harm (ps < .05) compared to controls. After controlling for general stress and mental health history, the association between 2019-nCOV distress and OCD-type symptoms related to concerns about contamination was stronger among postpartum compared to control women (ps < .002). For all women, 2019-nCOV distress was positively related to general anxiety symptoms, total OCD-type symptoms, and OCD-type symptoms related to concerns about responsibility for harm after controlling for general stress and mental health history (ps < .03). Data are first to suggest postpartum women may be at elevated risk for OCD-type symptoms during 2019-nCOV pandemic, and pandemic distress is associated with anxiety and OCD-type symptoms among postpartum women more so than control women.

Year of Publication
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2021
Journal
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Archives of women's mental health
Volume
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24
Issue
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4
Number of Pages
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671-680
ISSN Number
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1434-1816
URL
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https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00737-021-01120-9
DOI
:
10.1007/s00737-021-01120-9
Short Title
:
Arch Womens Ment Health
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