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Table 2 Access to services and social support

From: Rural-urban differences in the mental health of perinatal women: a UK-based cross-sectional study

Variable

Missing (n)

Urban (N = 165), n (%)

Rural (N = 130), n (%)

Overall (N = 295), n (%)

Differences between groups

Access to:

 GP

0

161 (97.6%)

128 (98.5%)

289 (98.0%)

X2 (1)=0.3, p = .593

 Hospital

3

150 (92.0%)

113 (87.6%)

263 (90.1%)

X2 (1)=1.6, p = .209

 Children’s Centre

2

130 (79.3%)

102 (79.1%)

232 (79.2%)

X2 (1)=0.0, p = .967

 Health visitor

1

142 (86.1%)

116 (89.9%)

258 (87.8%)

X2 (1)=1.0, p = .316

Looked for support or information about feelings of anxiety and/or depression

0

38 (23.0%)

25 (19.2%)

63 (21.4%)

X2 (1)=0.6, p = .429

Sources of support/information about anxiety and/or depression (n = 63):

 Partner

 

28

17

45

X2 (1)=0.4, p = .506

 Family

 

20

11

31

X2 (1)=0.6, p = .437

 Websites

 

15

16

31

X2 (1)=3.3, p = .070

 GP

1

20

9

29

X2 (1)=2.0, p = .162

 Midwife

 

18

7

25

X2 (1)=2.6, p = .104

 Friends

 

15

8

23

X2 (1)=0.5, p = .495

 Health visitor

 

13

6

19

X2 (1)=0.9, p = .351

 Mobile phone apps

 

3

3

6

–

 Books or magazines

 

3

3

6

–

 Other professional(s)

 

4

1

5

–

 Other

 

0

0

0

–

  

Med (IQR)

Med (IQR)

Med (IQR)

 

Perceived social support – MSPSS:

 Subscale Significant Other

0

28 (3)

28 (4)

28 (3)

Z = 0.1, p = .930

 Subscale Family

1

27 (4)

26 (4)

26 (4)

Z = 0.8, p = .430

 Subscale Friends

0

24 (5)

25 (7)

25 (6)

Z = 0.9, p = .383

 Total

1

78 (12)

77 (12)

78 (12)

Z = 0.9, p = .355

  1. X2 – Based on the Chi-squared test; Z – Based on the Mann-Whitney test
  2. Some difference tests were not performed due to the small number of observations
  3. Sources of support/information: multiple responses allowed; from 63 participants who reported having sought support, so percentages are not presented to avoid confusion with full sample percentages
  4. MSPSS Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Subscale scores can range from 4 to 28; total scale scores can range from 12 to 84. Higher scores reflect stronger social support