Beck Anxiety Inventory: A Correlation of Social and Obstetric Factors in High-Risk Pregnant Women in Recife, PE, Brazil

Abstract

The present study aims to correlate social and obstetric factors with Beck anxiety inventory in high-risk pregnant women. This is a field research, a cross-sectional study of quantitative descriptive approach. The sample consisted of 112 pregnant women met in high-risk services in a maternity hospital in the city of Recife-PE, Brazil. Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and sociodemographic and obstetric questionnaires were used. The data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially. There was need to use univariate Poisson regression model and two multivariate models, one for each dependent variable. The independent variables were selected if they presented p <0.20 (significant at 20%) in univariate regressions, being presented as tables. The adjustment of univariate and multivariate Poisson regressions with the variables selected in the bivariate study with p <0.20 for the proportion of patients with the presence of anxiety, emphasizing that, of the 6 variables included in the model, only religion was significant at 5% and, the values and intervals for the ratios between prevalence allow estimating that: the probability of a patient in the population selected to have anxiety is higher if the patient has no religion in relation to Catholics. There is need to develop strategies for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of anxiety disorder in pregnant women, since its development can affect the health of women and babies irreversibly, both psychologically and physically. Relaxation techniques can be stimulated as a way to improve the physical and mental condition of pregnant women, seeking a better quality of life and healthy evolution of pregnancy.