Stress, Coping Strategies, Quality of Life and Lived Experiences of Women with Pregnancyinduced Hypertension

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives To explore and assess the levels of stress and its manifestation and different stressors in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension and to identifying the coping strategies used by women with PIH in response to stress. Methods The research approach for the first phase of study was corelational and the subjects were selected by convenience sampling technique and for the second phase qualitative using phenomenology to study the lived experiences. The study comprised of 65 women with PIH, in the Phase I and 6 women with PIH in the Phase II, who were admitted in antenatal wards of KLES Hospital and Medical Research Centre and District Hospital Belgaum. The data on coping strategies was collected using a standardized tool, the Jalowiec coping scale and data on quality of life of women with PIH was collected using another standardized tool — the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale (WHOQOL-BREF). The qualitative data was collected using a semistructured interview schedule and the audiotaping of the verbatum of lived experiences. Results In the Phase I it was found that majority (64.61%) of women had moderate stress levels. The finding indicated that there was no correlation between levels of stress and use and effectiveness of coping strategies. (r1 (65) = 0.1226, P > 0.05, r2 (65) = 0.1805, P > 0.01). The association between levels of stress and quality of life of women with PIH showed that quality of life was independent of levels of stress. The chi-square value (l2effect =12.137) between age and effectiveness of coping strategies was significant which showed that effectiveness of coping strategies were dependent on the age of the women with PIH. In the Phase II based on the analysis of data four themes emerged from the women's perspective of the phenomenon under study. Theme 1 Impact of bed rest. Theme 2 Unaware of PIH and its effect on self and unborn child. Theme 3 Fear of outcome of pregnancy. Theme 4 Psychological impact of symptoms of PIH. Conclusion All these four dimensions depict the importance of holistic and comprehensive care.