Table 4 Percentage of participants with high demoralisation score by demographic and postnatal variables

Language

English (n = 333)

11.7 (2.1)

11.0 (7–18)

Reference

Other (n = 67)

16.0 (1.9)

16.0 (10–26)

0.32

.001

Education

Up to secondary (n = 74)

10.3 (2.1)

10.0 (7.0-19.0)

Reference

Diploma/Certificate (n = 77)

13.4 (2.0)

12.0 (8.0-19.5)

0.25

.008

Tertiary (n = 249)

12.7 (2.0)

12.0 (5.8-16.0)

0.27

.019

Age

18-25 (n = 54)

11.0 (2.2)

10.0 (5.8-15.3)

−0.20

.055

26-39 (n = 328)

12.6 (2.0)

12.0 (7.0-19.0)

Reference

40+ (n = 18)

12.0 (1.6)

12.0 (6.2-15.0)

−0.08

.632

Mode of birth

Vaginal spontaneous (n = 175)

12.0 (2.1)

12.0 (7.0-18.0)

Reference

Vaginal assisted (n = 87)

12.4 (1.9)

12.0 (5.0-18.0)

0.07

.481

Caesarian without labour (n = 59)

13.6 (1.9)

13.0 (5.0-18.0)

0.15

.153

Caesarian after a period of labour (n = 79)

12.3 (2.1)

13.0 (4.0-21.0)

0.05

.580

Unexpected pregnancy

No (n = 305)

12.0 (2.0)

12.0 (7.0-18.0)

Reference

Yes (n = 95)

13.6 (2.0)

13.0 (8.0-13.0)

0.12

.135

Self-rating of health

Fair to good (n = 64)

18.1 (2.0)

17.5 (10.3-27.8)

Reference

Very good to extremely good (n = 335)

11.5 (2.0)

11.0 (7.0-17.0)_

−0.45

.000

Missing (n = 1)

Feeding method

Breast milk only (n = 267)

11.8 (2.0)

11.0 (7.0-18.0)

Reference

Formula only or with breast milk (n = 118)

13.8 (2.2)

14.0 (8.8-23)

0.16

.042

Missing (n = 15)

Baby crying/fussing

<3 h (n = 293)

11.4 (2.1)

11.0 (6.0-17.0)

Reference

≥3 h (n = 107)

15.3 (1.8)

14.0 9.0 (14.0-21.0)

.027

.001

Psychiatric history

No (n = 302)

11.4 (2.0)

11.0 (7.0-17.0)

0.29

.000

Yes (n = 98)

16.1 (2.0)

15.0 (9.0-23.3)

Correlation with the Demoralisation Scale: r (p)

Confidence in going home from hospital

-.39 (p = .000)

−0.25

.000

IBM care subscale^a

.22 (p = .000)

.018

.000

IBM control subscale^b

.24 (p = .000)

.021

.000