This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Rodriguez, A. Articles by Lindmark, G. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Rodriguez, A. Articles by Lindmark, G. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

A Longitudinal Study of Perceived Health during Pregnancy: Antecedents and Outcomes

Uppsala University, Sweden

Gunilla Bohlin

Uppsala University, Sweden

Gunilla Lindmark

Uppsala University, Sweden

Perceived health was studied longitudinally in a sample of 364 nulliparous women. Psychosocial, contextual, and biomedical factors were taken into account to predict medically relevant versus benign symptoms which were then used to predict perceived health over time. The results of structural equation modeling showed that pregnancy adjustment and medically relevant symptoms which were affected by social support, perceived stress, and negative affect predicted later perceived health. The outcomes of perceived health were examined during the third trimester in terms of medical care utilization and emergency room visits. Perceived health solely accounted for medical care utilization, while emergency room visits were accounted by medical care utilization and perceived stress.

Key Words: self-rated health • symptoms • health-care utilization • pregnancy adjustment • psychosocial factors • health

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?