Maternal mental well-being during crisis; does social support overrule economic hardship?

Abstract Background Maternal mental well-being is critical for the health of mothers and their children, yet it is underexplored in Sri Lanka. Factors such as socioeconomic status, social support, and parenting stress significantly impact maternal mental health. Sri Lanka faced a series of socio political, economic and health challenges during the past decade. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and social and economic determinants of mental well-being of mothers with children aged 1-5 years in Sri Lanka. Methods A clinic-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 227 mothers attending child welfare clinics. Systematic sampling was employed to recruit participants. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, which included the WHO-5 Well-Being Index and tools adapted to assess socioeconomic factors, parental stress, and social support. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using SPSS. Associations were determined by multivariate analysis with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Results The mean age of study population was 34 years (SD-3.9 years). The prevalence of poor mental well-being among participants was 31.7% (95% CI- 25.6% to 37.8%). Mothers live in an extended family (p = 0.05) and poor social support (p = 0.04) exhibited significantly lower mental well-being scores. Sociodemographic factors such as maternal age, marital status, number of children, parental stress, physical health and economic factors, including mothers’ employment, household income, and indebtedness, did not demonstrate significant association with mothers’ mental wellbeing. Conclusions A significant proportion of mothers in sub-urban Sri Lanka are experiencing poor mental well-being, influenced by extended family structure and inadequate social support. Interventions to enhance maternal mental health should address these socioeconomic determinants while integrating culturally sensitive approaches to improve public health outcomes in Sri Lanka. Key messages • Mothers with young children need more services related to mental health. • Social support systems play a significant role in maternal mental health.