Medicina Fluminensis, Vol. 62 No. 3, 2026.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.21860/medflum2026_349231
Association Between Postpartum Stress in Mothers and Perceived Support from Community Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Study
Vanda Cattonaro
; Sveučilište u Rijeci, Fakultet zdravstvenih studija, Katedra za sestrinstvo, Rijeka, Hrvatska
*
Dina Čevapović
; Opća županijska bolnica Požega, Požega, Hrvatska
* Corresponding author.
Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the association between postpartum stress in mothers and perceived support from community (patronage) nurses, with additional analysis of differences in stress levels based on participation in prenatal classes. Participants and Methods: A cross-sectional online study was conducted on a convenience sample of 389 mothers in the Republic of Croatia, all of whom had a child younger than 12 months at the time of completing the questionnaire. Postpartum stress was measured using the Maternal Postpartum Stress Scale (MPSS), while perceived support from community nurses was assessed using a scale developed for the purposes of this study. Results: A statistically significant but weak negative correlation was found between postpartum stress and perceived support from community nurses (rs = -0.27; p < 0.001), indicating that higher levels of perceived support were associated with lower stress levels. The most prominent sources of stress were exhaustion, household workload, and lack of personal time. Among the support aspects, accessibility and communication received the highest ratings, while emotional support was rated the lowest. No significant differences in stress levels were found regarding participation in prenatal classes (p = 0.408). Conclusions: The results suggest a potential protective effect of perceived support from community nurses on postpartum stress, particularly in the domain of personal needs and fatigue. However, emotional support emerged as the least represented component of care. Improvements in the content and approach of community nursing are needed to ensure comprehensive support for women during the postpartum period.
Keywords
community health nursing; mothers; postpartum period; social support; stress, psychological
Hrčak ID:
349231
URI
Publication date:
1.9.2026.
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