engleski

Health locus of control and quality of life of pregnant women.

The experience of pregnancy challenges a belief in control over one's health ; internal beliefs, the extent to which one's health is influenced by oneself, chance or fate and other people’s influence (powerful others). Belief that their health is related to their own behavior could increase their Quality of Life (QoL). This study gives insights from the Croatian Islands’ Birth Cohort Study (CRIBS) conducted on Adriatic island populations of Hvar and Brač and neighboring mainland area of the Split-Dalmatian County. The aims of the study were to investigate determinants of the QoL of pregnant women with focus on health locus of control as potential predictor of QoL domains. The sample consisted of 286 healthy pregnant women, age 18 or older, 18 to 28 weeks of gestation, enrolled into study from February 2016 to June 2018. Comprehensive study of maternal health assessed WHOQoL-bref (Physical QoL, Psychological QoL, Social relationships and Environmental health domain), Adult Hope Scale, Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scales (MHLC), Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the perceived stress appraisals and demographic questionnaire. Enrolment into the study and all scheduled visits were carried out at doctor's office where the pregnancy was routinely monitored and in the maternity unit in the University Hospital Center Split, Croatia. Inclusion criteria were 18 weeks or more of single pregnancy, not assisted with reproductive technology. Woman had significantly higher internal then external locus of control (p= .000) and then chance (p= .000). They believed that they are in control of their health, also that powerful other people (medical doctors) were responsible for their health in a more significant way then that their health is in control of chance or luck (p= .000). MHLC scale scores explained significant amount of the total variance on QoL in all four domains (3.5% to 4.7%). Together with other predictors, greatest variance was explained in Psychological health domain (42%) and the smallest in Physical health (25%). Differences in MHLC between women living at island and neighboring mainland were also found. Health outcomes left to chance lower Environmental health QoL (health accessibility and quality, opportunities for acquiring new information, etc.), especially in less connected areas as islands. With greater perception of all QoL domains but Physical, women believed more that powerful others are in control of their health outcomes, which could indicate that reliance on doctors and medical staff has an extraordinary importance in their lives. Understanding how health beliefs of women influence their QoL could have beneficial effects in establishing the best possible care standards and outcomes for women and newborns.

CRIBS, cohort study, pregnancy, quality of life, health locus of control

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