Assessment of Psychological well-being and its predictors among housewives: A cross-sectional study in rural and urban areas of Jammu, UT of J&K, India

Background: Psychological well–being, is a subjective feeling of happiness, satisfaction in one’s life and satisfaction with life’s experiences. Psychological wellbeing among housewives is crucial for to enhance their overall health and well-being. Aim and objectives: To compare the psychological well-being among rural and urban housewives and to study the association of various socio-demographic with the psychological well-being. Methods: This was a community based cross-sectional study conducted among housewives residing in field practice areas of PG Department of Community Medicine, GMC, Jammu for a period of 6 months. Apparently healthy housewives in the selected areas, who were willing to give informed consent were interviewed. The questionnaire used are- Socio-demographic details, personal details and the Ryff Psychological Well-Being Scale. Results: 495 eligible women were interviewed. A significant difference (p<0.05) was observed among most of the domains in rural and urban housewives, with a higher score observed among urban residents. Variables like monthly income, decision making, relation with family/husband, helper at home, assault/abuse from family and gender discrimination emerged to be independent predictors of psychological well-being. Conclusion: Higher scores of Psychological well-being in the present study reflect that factors like stress, environmental pollution, lifestyle etc. have a role to play in overall mental health of the individuals.