Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Factors Associated with Quality of Life Among Mothers Rearing 4- and 18-Month Old Infants in Japan

  • Published:
Maternal and Child Health Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective The purpose of the present study was to investigate factors associated with quality of life (QOL) among mothers raising 4 and 18-month-old infants. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using self-report questionnaires. Participants included 400 women who took their infants for health checkups at a city in Aichi Prefecture, Japan (4-month-olds: n = 197, 18-month-olds: n = 203). Study variables included the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) scale, mother’s lifestyle, support from family, and other factors potentially related to QOL. Results For mothers of 4-month-old infants, total QOL was associated with emotional support from families (OR 6.09, 95% CI 2.13–17.43) and having enough sleep (7 h or more; OR 4.18, 95% CI 1.86–9.36). These mothers had shorter sleeping hours than mothers of 18-month-old infants. QOL of mothers of 18-month-old infants was associated with emotional support from families (OR 3.06, 95% CI 1.14–8.22) and using childrearing support facilities (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.01–4.01). Conclusion Different factors contributed to mothers’ QOL as a function of infant age. Emotional support from families was associated with better QOL in both mother groups. Differences were that for mothers of 4-month-old infants, enough sleep was relevant to QOL, while in mothers of 18-month-old infants, childcare services helped improving their QOL.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akyn, B., Ege, E., Kocodlu, D., Demiroren, N., & Yylmaz, S. (2009). Quality of life and related factors in women, aged 15–49 in the 12-month post-partum period in Turkey. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research, 35(1), 86–93. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0756.2008.00870.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arimoto, A., & Murashima, S. (2007). Child-rearing anxiety and its correlates among Japanese mothers screened at 18-month infant health checkups. Public Health Nursing, 24(1), 101–110.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arimoto, A., & Murashima, S. (2008). Utilization of parenting groups and consultation services as parenting support services by Japanese mothers of 18 month old children. Japan Journal of Nursing Science, 5, 73–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coley, R. L., & Lombardi, C. M. (2013). Does maternal employment following childbirth support or inhibit low-income children’s long-term development? Child Development, 84(1), 178–197. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2012.01840.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Darcy, J. M., Grzywacz, J. G., Stephens, R. L., Leng, I., Clinch, C. R., & Arcury, T. A. (2011). Maternal depressive symptomatology: 16-month follow-up of infant and maternal health-related quality of life. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 24(3), 249–257. https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2011.03.100201.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • de Tychey, C., Briancon, S., Lighezzolo, J., Spitz, E., Kabuth, B., de Luigi, V., … Vincent, S. (2008). Quality of life, postnatal depression and baby gender. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17(3), 312–322.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Eastwood, J. G., Jalaludin, B. B., Kemp, L. A., Phung, H. N., & Barnett, B. E. (2012). Relationship of postnatal depressive symptoms to infant temperament, maternal expectations, social support and other potential risk factors: Findings from a large Australian cross-sectional study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 12(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2393-12-148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gay, C. L., Lee, K. A., & Lee, S. Y. (2004). Sleep patterns and fatigue in new mothers and fathers. Biological Research for Nursing, 5(4), 311–318.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Giallo, R., Cooklin, A., & Nicholson, J. M. (2014). Risk factors associated with trajectories of mothers’ depressive symptoms across the early parenting period: An Australian population-based longitudinal study. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 17(2), 115–125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-014-0411-1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kusano, E., Ono, M., & Hayakawa, K. (2010). Influence of support by elderly persons on Japanese mothers’ child care-related stress. Nursing and Health Sciences, 12(2), 182–190. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-2018.2010.00516.x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Monti, F., Agostini, F., Marano, G., & Lupi, F. (2008). The course of maternal depressive symptomatology during the first 18 months postpartum in an Italian sample. Archives of Women’s Mental Health, 11(3), 231–238. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00737-008-0017-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Munakata, T., Nakao, T., Fujita, K., & Suwa, S. (1986). Stressor, coping resources, and mental health in an urban population. Journal of Mental Health, 32, 49–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nohara, M. (2012). A longitudinal study on quality of life in pregnant women and nursing mothers. Journal of Child Health, 71(6), 828–836.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nohara, M., & Miyagi, S. (2009). Family support and quality of life of pregnant women during pregnancy and after birth. Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi, 56(12), 849–862.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rullo, G., & Musatti, T. (2005). Mothering young children: Child care, stress and social life. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 20(2), 107–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sekijima, K. (2012). Physical conditions of mothers in early parenthood. Japanese Journal of Maternal Health, 53(2), 375–382.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shrestha, S., Adachi, K., Petrini, M. A., & Shrestha, S. (2014). Factors associated with post-natal anxiety among primiparous mothers in Nepal. International Nursing Review, 61(3), 427–434. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12118.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, L. E., & Howard, K. S. (2008). Continuity of paternal social support and depressive symptoms among new mothers. Journal of Family Psychology, 22(5), 763–773. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0013581.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Takeda, F., Miyaji, F., Yamaguchi, T., & Nozaki, S. (1998). Postpartum depression and social support. Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi, 45(6), 564–571.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tazaki, M., & Nakane, M. (1997). WHOQOL26 guidance. Tokyo: Kaneko-shobo.

    Google Scholar 

  • The WHOQOL Group. (1998). Development of the World Health Organization WHOQOL-BREF quality of life assessment. Psychological Medicine, 28(3), 551–558.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webster, J., Nicholas, C., Velacott, C., Cridland, N., & Fawcett, L. (2011). Quality of life and depression following childbirth: Impact of social support. Midwifery, 27(5), 745–749. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2010.05.014.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nursing, Sugiyama Jogakuen University, 17-3 Hoshigaoka-motomachi, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, 464-8662, Japan

    Tomoko Nishida

  2. Health Promotion Division, Department of Health and Welfare, 36 Higashihata, Inuyama, Aichi Prefecture, 484-8501, Japan

    Yoko Tanaka

  3. Department of Nursing, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-20, Daiko-minami, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, 461-8673, Japan

    Hisataka Sakakibara

Authors
  1. Tomoko Nishida
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yoko Tanaka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hisataka Sakakibara
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tomoko Nishida.

Ethics declarations

Funding and Disclosure

We have no possible conflict of interest and funding.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Nishida, T., Tanaka, Y. & Sakakibara, H. Factors Associated with Quality of Life Among Mothers Rearing 4- and 18-Month Old Infants in Japan. Matern Child Health J 22, 1217–1225 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-018-2493-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-018-2493-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation