Self-Rated Health among Pregnant Women: Associations with Objective Health Indicators, Psychological Functioning, and Serum Inflammatory Markers

Abstract

Background Biobehavioral correlates of self-rated health in pregnancy are largely unknown. Purpose The goals of this study were to examine, in pregnant women, associations of self-rated health with 1) demographics, objective health status, health behaviors and psychological factors and 2) serum inflammatory markers. Methods In the 2nd trimester of pregnancy, 101 women provided a blood sample, completed measures of psychosocial stress, health status, and health behaviors, and received a comprehensive periodontal examination. Results The following independently predicted poorer self-rated health: 1) greater psychological stress, 2) greater objective health diagnoses, 3) higher body mass index, and 4) past smoking (versus never smoking). Poorer self-rated health was associated with higher serum interleukin-1β (p = .02) and marginally higher macrophage migration inhibitory factor (p = .06). These relationships were not fully accounted for by behavioral/psychological factors. Conclusions This study provides novel data regarding factors influencing subjective ratings of health and the association of self-rated health with serum inflammatory markers in pregnant women.

The effect of self-reported health on latent herpesvirus reactivation and inflammation in an ethnically diverse sample

“…The association between better SRH and lower antibody titers remained when controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and body mass index (see Table 3). Similarly, better SRH was associated with lower inflammation before and after control variables were entered into the model, replicating prior findings (e.g., Christian et al, 2013). As seen in Figure 1, poorer self-reported health was associated with higher inflammation and reactivation of herpesviruses partially mediated this association as a significant indirect effect was identified.…”

“…Given that people’s subjective determination of their health status is related to inflammation (e.g., Christian, Iams, Porter, & Leblebicioglu, 2013; Undén et al, 2007) and subsequent morbidity and mortality risk, and latent herpesvirus reactivation reflects poor cellular immune function that can promote elevated levels of inflammation, a link between SRH and herpesvirus antibody titers is likely. Therefore, we expected that poorer SRH would be associated with higher antibody titers to herpesviruses.…”

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“…We replicated the findings of Lacey et al (2013) in the same cohort, albeit that they studied cohort members of both sexes and used parental separation as their main childhood measure, rather than the particular index of CPA we used here. Our results also concur with previous studies in finding BMI and SEP to be important predictors of c-reactive protein levels (Kivimäki et al, 2005;Visser, Bouter, McQuillan, Wener, & Harris, 1999), and BMI, SEP and smoking to be predictors of self-rated health (Christian, Iams, Porter, & Leblebicioglu, 2013).…”

The Perspectives of Pregnant Women on Health-Promoting Behaviors: An Integrative Systematic Review

“…It is being thought that severe military conflicts in Africa shorten the expected lifetime for more than 2 years. In general, WHO had calculated that 269 thousand people had died in 1999 due to the effect of wars and that loss of 8.44 million healthy years of life had occurred (2,3). Wars negatively affect the provision of health services.…”

“…Moreover, the wars cause the migration of qualified health employees, and thus the health services hitches. Assessments made indicate that the effect of destruction in the infrastructure of health continues for 5-10 years even after the finalization of conflicts (3). Due to resource requirements in the restructuring investments after war, the share allocated to health has decreased (1).…”