Socio-demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang, Malaysia

Introduction: Women are vulnerable to food insecurity. This study aimed to determine the demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang. Methods: This cross-sectional study was participated by 129 mothers aged 20 years to 59 years old. Mothers were inte...

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Main Authors: Mamat, Noratikah, Sulaiman, Norhasmah, Mesbah, Siti Farhana
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia 2019
Online Access:http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/68381/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/68381/1/2019041008214607_MJMHS_Vol_15_SP1.pdf
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author Mamat, Noratikah
Sulaiman, Norhasmah
Mesbah, Siti Farhana
author_facet Mamat, Noratikah
Sulaiman, Norhasmah
Mesbah, Siti Farhana
author_sort Mamat, Noratikah
building UPM Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Introduction: Women are vulnerable to food insecurity. This study aimed to determine the demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang. Methods: This cross-sectional study was participated by 129 mothers aged 20 years to 59 years old. Mothers were interviewed to obtain information on demographic factors, food security status (Radimer/Cornell Hunger Scale) and mental health status (DASS-21). Chi-square and binary logistic regression were used to determine an association between factors and food security status. General linear model (GLM) was used to determine the difference in mental health score according to food security status group after controlling for covariates. Significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The mother’s mean age was 38.30 ± 9.70 years. Prevalence of food insecurity was 55.8%. About 39.5% of mothers were depressed, 24.0% were experienced anxiety and 16.3% of mothers were stressed. The mean depression and anxiety score were 4.11 ± 3.54 and 2.96 ± 3.19 respectively. The mean stress score was 3.91 ± 3.44. Low household income (p<0.01) was increased the risk of food insecurity by nine fold. After controlling the covariates, there was significant difference in mean of depression score (p<0.01), anxiety score (p<0.01) and stress score (p<0.01) based on the food security status. Conclusion: More than half of the households were food insecure. Low household income was a main contributor towards food insecurity. Poor mental health status was associated with food insecurity. Lifestyle management and skills equipment need to arrange for mothers to improve their mental health status and socio-economic status.
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spelling upm-683812019-05-10T08:33:40Z http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/68381/ Socio-demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang, Malaysia Mamat, Noratikah Sulaiman, Norhasmah Mesbah, Siti Farhana Introduction: Women are vulnerable to food insecurity. This study aimed to determine the demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang. Methods: This cross-sectional study was participated by 129 mothers aged 20 years to 59 years old. Mothers were interviewed to obtain information on demographic factors, food security status (Radimer/Cornell Hunger Scale) and mental health status (DASS-21). Chi-square and binary logistic regression were used to determine an association between factors and food security status. General linear model (GLM) was used to determine the difference in mental health score according to food security status group after controlling for covariates. Significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The mother’s mean age was 38.30 ± 9.70 years. Prevalence of food insecurity was 55.8%. About 39.5% of mothers were depressed, 24.0% were experienced anxiety and 16.3% of mothers were stressed. The mean depression and anxiety score were 4.11 ± 3.54 and 2.96 ± 3.19 respectively. The mean stress score was 3.91 ± 3.44. Low household income (p<0.01) was increased the risk of food insecurity by nine fold. After controlling the covariates, there was significant difference in mean of depression score (p<0.01), anxiety score (p<0.01) and stress score (p<0.01) based on the food security status. Conclusion: More than half of the households were food insecure. Low household income was a main contributor towards food insecurity. Poor mental health status was associated with food insecurity. Lifestyle management and skills equipment need to arrange for mothers to improve their mental health status and socio-economic status. Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia 2019 Article PeerReviewed text en http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/68381/1/2019041008214607_MJMHS_Vol_15_SP1.pdf Mamat, Noratikah and Sulaiman, Norhasmah and Mesbah, Siti Farhana (2019) Socio-demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang, Malaysia. Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 15 (SP1). pp. 47-52. ISSN 1675-8544; ESSN: 2636-9346 http://www.medic.upm.edu.my/upload/dokumen/2019041008214607_MJMHS_Vol_15_SP1.pdf
spellingShingle Mamat, Noratikah
Sulaiman, Norhasmah
Mesbah, Siti Farhana
Socio-demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang, Malaysia
title Socio-demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang, Malaysia
title_full Socio-demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang, Malaysia
title_fullStr Socio-demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang, Malaysia
title_full_unstemmed Socio-demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang, Malaysia
title_short Socio-demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in Mentakab, Pahang, Malaysia
title_sort socio-demographic factors, food security and mental health status among mothers in mentakab, pahang, malaysia
url http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/68381/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/68381/
http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/68381/1/2019041008214607_MJMHS_Vol_15_SP1.pdf