Socioeconomic Status and Postpartum Depressive Symptoms among Nursing Mothers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

This study examined the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and postpartum depressive symptoms among nursing mothers in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. A sample of 340 nursing mothers was drawn using the snowball sampling technique across 20 wards in the Port Harcourt metropolis. Data were collected using the Socio-Economic Status and Risk of Postpartum Depression Among Nursing Mothers Questionnaire (SESRPDNMQ), which incorporated the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and a socio-economic indicator scale. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including Pearson’s correlation and chi-square tests, were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed a non-significant inverse relationship between SES and postpartum depression, with lower SES associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms. Social support networks appeared to buffer depressive symptoms. It is recommended that government and health stakeholders establish community-based maternal mental health programs that offer affordable screening, counselling, and treatment for postpartum depression. Integrating maternal mental health care into primary health services would ensure early detection and promote psychological well-being among new mothers.