SYCHO-SOCIAL CORRELATES OF ANTEPARTUM ANXIETY AMONG WOMEN ATTENDING ANTENATAL CLINICS IN ODEDA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Anxiety symptoms are common among pregnant women despite adequate medical attention and nursing care they receive in antenatal clinics. Several factors contribute to these problems, among which are low socio-economic status, low education level, low social support, domestic violence and other social, behavioural or health factors. This study therefore, examines the relationship between economic factors, social support, spousal abuse and antepartum anxiety with a view to helping the pregnant women experience safety pregnancy and positive pregnancy outcomes. To this end, the research was carried out among 300 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in Odeda Local Government Area of Ogun State. The research design adopted for the study was a descriptive survey research design. The participants were selected through purposive sampling technique. Psycho-social Factors and Antepartum Anxiety Questionnaire (PFAAQ) (r = 0.86) was used to collect data used.for the study. Two hypotheses were fonnulated and tested at 0.05 level of significance. The data were analyzed using Multiple Regression Analysis. The study established that there was a significant joint effect of economic factors, social support and spousal abuse on anxiety symptcnns experienced by the participants (R=O.378, 18=0.143, Adjusted 18=0.134 and F=16.162; p<0.05). The study also established significant relative effects of economic factors, social support and spousal abuse on anxiety symptonzs experienced by the women. The contribution of each of the independent variables to the dependent variable is as follows: econcnnic factors t=2.672, p<O.05, social support (“=0.247, t=4.305, p<.05) and spousal abuse (13=0.335, t=8.362, p<.05). The study concluded that antepartum anxiety is prevalent in the pregnant women understudied and is however due to econonlic (financial) problemns, inadequate social support and spousal abuse. On the basis of these findings, it is reconvnended that adequate social support (emotional, financial and material support) should be given to the pregnant wcnnen by their husbands, relatives and health care-giverx It is also recomntended that their husbands should avoid abusing the;n physically, verbally and sexuallv, in orcler to ensure that Inajority of these wcnnen experience less  of anxiety, healthy pregnancy and positive pregnancy outcomes.