Mental health issues in adolescent mothers and young adult mothers: the Brazilian context
Objective: To analyze anxiety and depression levels in adolescent and young adult mothers. Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted across Brazil’s five regions. A non-probabilistic sample of 1177 adolescent (10–19 years) and young adult (20–29 years) mothers was selected propor...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Jornal de Pediatria |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S002175572500083X |
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| Summary: | Objective: To analyze anxiety and depression levels in adolescent and young adult mothers. Methods: This multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted across Brazil’s five regions. A non-probabilistic sample of 1177 adolescent (10–19 years) and young adult (20–29 years) mothers was selected proportionally based on regional live birth rates. Data collection (August 2022–May 2023) involved a structured questionnaire assessing mental health (DASS-21), family support, and quality of life. Statistical analyses were performed using RStudio©, with p-values < 0.05 considered significant. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee (CAAE: 55465822.0.2003.5086). Results: Depression or anxiety was reported by 22.7 % of both adolescent and young adult mothers, with 7.55 % and 7.07 % diagnosed during pregnancy, respectively. Among affected adolescents, 66.67 % did not seek follow-up care, primarily due to limited healthcare access (29.55 %). Adolescent mothers showed a higher prevalence of depression (p < 0.001), anxiety (p < 0.001), and stress (p = 0.027) postpartum. Depression was associated with a lack of emotional support from the child’s father (p = 0.096), insufficient family caregiving support (p = 0.014), and low perceived quality of life. Conclusion: Adolescent mothers exhibit greater vulnerability to mental disorders, emphasizing the need for targeted psychological and social support during the perinatal period. |
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| ISSN: | 0021-7557 |