Abstract:

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the effect of postpartum social support on woman’s functional status. Methods: The study was of a descriptive type and was conducted in three family health centers in a city center in Anatolia. The research was conducted with 200 postpartum women. The data of the study were collected with the postpartum women's information form, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the Postpartum Functional Status Inventory. Results: Postpartum women's multidimensional perceived social support scale mean score was 65.99±13.71, postpartum functional status inventory average score was 3.39±0.33. Perceived social support score averages were found to be higher of women who had university graduates (KW=21.933; p=0.000), their spouses had university graduates (KW=20.334; p=0.000), had higher income than expenses (KW=12.054; p=0.002), lived in nuclear families (MWU:1090.000;p=0.000) and received support from a sister/elder sister after birth (KW=16.841; p=0.002). Postpartum functional status score averages were found to be higher of women who were in the 30-35 age group (KW=13.290; p=0.004), who had university graduates (KW=18.285; p=0.000), their spouses were university graduates (KW=18.117; p=0.000) and had at least two living children (KW=7.637; p=0.022). A strong positive correlation was found between the postpartum women's Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale and the baby care responsibilities (r=.264; p=.000) and self-care activities (r=.264; p=.002) sub-dimensions of the Postpartum Functional Health Status Scale. Conclusion: It was found that as the social support perceived by postpartum women increased, their functional status related to baby care responsibilities and self-care activities also increased.

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