MyMedR

Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 71 in total

Abstract:

Sort:

α-thalassemia-associated hydrops fetalis: A rare cause of thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy

Tumian NR, Wong M, Wong CL

J Obstet Gynaecol Res, 2015 Jun;41(6):967-70.
PMID: 25510540 DOI: 10.1111/jog.12648

α°-thalassemia is a well-known cause of hydrops fetalis in South-East Asia and can be detected in utero. We report a very rare case of thyrotoxic cardiomyopathy associated with hyperplacentosis secondary to α°-thalassemia-associated hydrops fetalis. A 22-year-old primigravida with microcytic anemia presented at 27 weeks' gestation with pre-eclampsia, hyperthyroidism and cardiac failure. Serum β-human chorionic gonadotrophin was markedly elevated and abdominal ultrasound revealed severe hydropic features and enlarged placenta. Serum β-human chorionic gonadotrophin, cardiac function and thyroid function tests normalized after she delivered a macerated stillbirth. Histopathology of the placenta showed hyperplacentosis. Blood DNA analysis revealed that both patient and husband have the α°-thalassemia trait. This case illustrates a very atypical presentation of α°-thalassemia-associated hydrops fetalis and the importance of early prenatal diagnosis of α-thalassemia in women of relevant ethnic origin with microcytic anemia so that appropriate genetic counseling can be provided to reduce maternal morbidity and the incidence of hydrops fetalis.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses
Fulltext Work-family conflict among married professional women in Malaysia

Ahmad A

J Soc Psychol, 1996 Oct;136(5):663-5.
PMID: 8942323 DOI: 10.1080/00224545.1996.9714054
Matched MeSH terms: Spouses/psychology*
Fulltext When culture and ethics collide

Lili Husniati Yaacob, Azlina Ishak

Education in Medicine Journal, 2013;5(4):87-89.
MyJurnal

This case illustrates the role of a woman's autonomy in deciding her medical management and the ethical issue which occurred when a husband refuses the management for her even though it was clearly indicated.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses
Vulnerability, life events and depression amongst Moslem Malaysian women: comparing those married and those divorced or separated

Abdul Kadir NB, Bifulco A

Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol, 2011 Sep;46(9):853-62.
PMID: 20556355 DOI: 10.1007/s00127-010-0249-4

INTRODUCTION: The experiences of married and single mothers were compared in an investigation of psychosocial vulnerability, stress and depression in a community-based study of Moslem mothers in Malaysia. For the first time, a model of vulnerability-provoking agent originally developed by Brown et al. in the UK was tested in a Malaysian context.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the district of Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Of the 1,200 women approached from membership of community associations, 1,002 (84%) completed the questionnaires. Severe life events Recent Life Events Questionnaire (Brugha and Cragg in Acta Psychiatr Scand 82:77-81, 1990) and psychosocial vulnerability (VDQ) (Moran et al. in Br J Clin Psychol 40:411-427, 2001) were used to measure vulnerability factors. Depression was measured by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30) (Havenaar et al. in Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 43:209-215, 2008).
RESULTS: Single mothers had significantly higher rates of depression than those married (60.5 vs. 39.5%), as well as higher rates of severe life events and Negative Elements in Close Relationships (lack of support and conflict with children). However, married mothers had greater Negative Evaluation of Self. The two vulnerability factors were correlated to each other and to severe life events and social adversity. Logistic regression showed an interaction between severe life events in the material and relationship domains and joint vulnerability for depression outcome. The results are discussed in relation to the low recognition of psychosocial risks for depression in single mothers in Malaysia, as well as lack of appropriate services.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses/ethnology; Spouses/psychology*
Validity and Reliability of the Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction in Couples with Incontinent Partners

Lim R, Liong ML, Khan NA, Yuen KH

J Sex Marital Ther, 2017 Feb 17;43(2):142-146.
PMID: 26836418 DOI: 10.1080/0092623X.2016.1141817

There is currently no published information on the validity and reliability of the Golombok Rust Inventory of Sexual Satisfaction in the Asian population, specifically in patients with stress urinary incontinence, which limits its use in this region. Our study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of this questionnaire in the Malaysian population. Ten couples were recruited for the pilot testing. The agreement between the English and Chinese or Malay versions were tested using the intraclass correlation coefficients, with results of more than 0.80 for all subscales and overall scores indicating good agreement. Sixty-six couples were included in the subsequent phase. The following data are presented in the order of English, Chinese, and Malay. Cronbach's alphas for the male total score were 0.82, 0.88, and 0.95. For the female total score, Cronbach's alphas were 0.76, 0.78, and 0.88. Intraclass correlation coefficients for the male total score were 0.93, 0.94, and 0.99, while intraclass correlation coefficients for the female total score were 0.89, 0.86, and 0.88. In conclusion, the English, Chinese, and Malay versions each proved to be valid and reliable in our Malaysian population.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses/psychology
Fulltext The influence of spouses and their driving roles in self-regulation: A qualitative exploration of driving reduction and cessation practices amongst married older adults

Ang BH, Oxley JA, Chen WS, Yap MKK, Song KP, Lee SWH

PLoS One, 2020;15(5):e0232795.
PMID: 32413053 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232795

INTRODUCTION: There is growing evidence to suggest the importance of self-regulatory practices amongst older adults to sustain mobility. However, the decision to self-regulate driving is a complex interplay between an individual's preference and the influence of their social networks including spouse. To our best knowledge, the influence of an older adult's spouse on their decisions during driving transition has not been explored.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study was conducted amongst married older adults aged 60 years and above. All interview responses were transcribed verbatim and examined using thematic approach and interpretative description method.
RESULTS: A total of 11 married couples were interviewed. Three major themes emerged: [1] Our roles in driving; [2] Challenges to continue driving; and, [3] Our driving strategies to ensure continued driving. Older couples adopted driving strategies and regulated their driving patterns to ensure they continued to drive safely. Male partners often took the active driving role as the principal drivers, while the females adopted a more passive role, including being the passenger to accompany the principal drivers or becoming the co-driver to help in navigation. Other coping strategies include sharing the driving duties as well as using public transportation or mixed mode transportation.
DISCUSSION: Our findings suggest spouse play a significant role in their partners' decision to self-regulate driving. This underscores a need to recognise the importance of interdependency amongst couples and its impact on their driving decisions and outcomes.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses/psychology
Fulltext The health seeking trajectories of Malaysian women and their husbands in delay cases of breast cancer: a qualitative study

Yusoff N, Taib NA, Ahmad A

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2011;12(10):2563-70.
PMID: 22320956

The aim of this study was to assess why women delay in getting treatment (i.e. surgery) for breast cancer, as well as to explore on what type of issues are involved in such delay cases. Basic interpretative of qualitative methodology was applied to construct the reality of delay phenomena, and its interaction with social worlds. Six themes were identified: new conception of breast cancer treatment, psychological defenses, health support system, symtomatology experience, model and barriers. The delay issue in breast cancer requires attention as a multidimensional problem as this will facilitate more comprehensive and effective intervention to reduce delay.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses
The feasibility of the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Marital State (GRIMS) in assessing marital satisfaction in a Malaysian population

Quek KF, Low WY, Razack AH, Chua CB, Loh CS

J Sex Marital Ther, 2002 Oct-Dec;28(5):423-6.
PMID: 12378843

The purpose of this study is to validate the English version of the Golombok-Rust Inventory of Marital State (GRIMS) in a Malaysian population. Using the test-retest method and Cronbach's alpha, we assessed reliability and internal consistency. Sensitivity to change was expressed as the effect size. Internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's alpha value = 0.59 to 0.91) Test-retest correlation coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient were highly significant in majority items (ICC = 0.62 and above), and there was a high degree of sensitivity and specificity. The GRIMS is suitable, reliable, valid, and sensitive to clinical change in a Malaysian population.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses/psychology
Fulltext The experiences and challenges in caring for HIV/AIDS patients: a qualitative exploration among Muslim family caregivers in Terengganu, Malaysia

Pei, Lin Lua, Norhayati Mustapha, Ramle Abdullah, Ahmad Kashfi Abdul Rahman

ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 2014;15(2):120-130.
MyJurnal

Objective: The family caregiver has a pivotal role in the management of HIV/AIDS patients and their well-being is consequently crucial as it could impact negatively on the quality of caregiving. This preliminary qualitative investigation intended to explore and describe the challenges and experiences of HIV/AIDS family caregivers in Terengganu, Malaysia. Methods: A convenient sample of family caregivers of HIV/AIDS patients who were aware of the diagnosis was enrolled. Recruitment was conducted in Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia and semi-structured interviews were used. Results: Results were transcribed into verbatim before being subjected to analysis. Twelve Muslim caregivers consented participation (age range = 18.0 - 81.0; female = 75.0%, mother/wife = 50.0%; married = 83.3%; ≤ primary school
= 50.0%; and self-employed = 66.7%). The four major themes that emerged were challenges of caregiving, financial issues, stigma and discrimination, and support for caregivers. Additionally, caregivers did mention several positive aspects of their caregiving role including satisfaction from helping family member and improved family relationships. Conclusion: A variety of life aspects were negatively affected by caring for HIV patients, thus requiring a multidisciplinary approach to address such issues. ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, Vol. 15 (2): July - December 2014: 120-130.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses
Fulltext The effects of social support and having a partner on sleep quality in dementia

Eshkoor SA, Hamid TA, Nudin SS, Mun CY

Am J Alzheimers Dis Other Demen, 2013 May;28(3):253-7.
PMID: 23612908 DOI: 10.1177/1533317513481098

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the effects of social support and having a partner on sleep quality in the elderly patients with dementia.
METHODOLOGY: This research was conducted on 1210 noninstitutionalized elderly Malaysian individuals with dementia. The effects of age, ethnicity, educational level, marital status, sex differences, social support, and having a partner on sleep quality were evaluated in the respondents. The multiple logistic regression analysis was used to predict the risk of sleep disturbances among the participants.
RESULTS: Approximately, 41% of the participants experienced sleep disruption. Further findings showed that ethnicity (odds ratio [OR] = 0.62), social support (OR = 1.35), marital status (OR = 2.21), educational level (OR = 0.65), and having a partner (OR = 0.45) significantly affected sleep quality (P < .05). Sex differences and age were unrelated predictors of sleep disturbances (P > .05).
CONCLUSION: It was concluded that social isolation and being single increased sleep disruption among respondents, but having a partner and ethnic non-Malay decreased the rate of sleep problems.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses/psychology; Spouses/statistics & numerical data*
Fulltext The challenges of nurturing autistic children from the mother’s perspective. [Cabaran membesarkan anak-anak autisme daripada perspektif ibu]

Siti Marziah Z, Nor Shahirah Mat T

Jurnal Psikologi Malaysia, 2018;32(1):58-71.

The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) cases has been increasing worldwide. There are countless aspects of challenges faced by parents to bring up children with ASD. Parents of children with ASD are often reported to have higher stress in parenting compared to parents with normal children or children with other disabilities such as Down syndrome. Therefore, this study explored the challenges faced by mothers of children with ASD. Mothers whom were selected are the primary guardians and spend a lot of time nurturing these children. This qualitative study involved in-depth interviews with five (5) informants in Selangor. The thematic analysis identified the challenges faced by the mothers of children with ASD, which are the aspects of behavioral, financial and community acceptance. The findings showed that mothers to children with ASD encountered numerous complicated challenges which require the support of all parties to address those challenges. High support and compassionate understanding are really needed from the spouse, normal children, local communities, and government to alleviate their difficulties. Thus, the findings of this study hopefully will help various parties to understand the challenges faced by the mothers of children with ASD. It can also be the guiding principle in designing supportive programs and interventions for children with ASD as well as their parents.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses
Fulltext The Health Status of Muslim Women with HIV/AIDS in Arab Countries

Salih, F.A.M., Haque, Q.M.

International Medical Journal Malaysia, 2007;6(2):1-5.
MyJurnal

The number of people worldwide living with human immunodeficiency virus/ acquired immunodeficiency virus (HIV/AIDS) is more than 40 million, among them 17.7 millions are women (UNAIDS/WHO, 2006) The latest report from the Eastern Mediterranean Region shows that at least one million people are infected with HIV; among them 30% are women. The great majority of reported cases in the Region are men. However, the ratio of men to women cases varies in different countries. It ranges between “9:1 (as for example in Egypt), to 2:1” (as in Morocco and some parts of Yemen). Due to religious, social and cultural values regarding female purity, women and girls living with HIV and AIDS are subjected to greater discrimination than men. WHO reports show that a large percentage of the infected women in Arab countries have contacted the infection from their husbands especially migrants and drug abusers. In Arab countries, studies conducted show that 86% of women choose not to disclose their status of infection for the fear of abandonment, rejection, discrimination, violence, upsetting family members, and accusations of infidelity from their partners, families, and communities. As a result, many women only seek help at the last minute when they are already been terminally ill. Violence against women and girls in its different forms increases women's vulnerability to HIV infection and undermines AIDS control efforts. The fear of violence prevents many women from accessing HIV information, from getting testing and seeking treatment. Stigma and discrimination may also prevent them from carrying out their normal life activities. When women are blamed, this can lead to heightened levels of sexual and domestic violence, abandonment by families and communities, forced abortion or sterilization, dismissal from employment and loss of livelihood opportunities. A study of AIDS-related discrimination in Arab region found that over ten percent of women had lost financial support from family members since being diagnosed as HIV positive. There is a great deal of evidence to establish the significant link between gender-based violence and rising rates of HIV infection among women and girls throughout the world. HIV-positive women must be supported to make their own reproductive choices about whether and/or when to have children. Promote male involvement in sexual and reproductive health programmes. Finally the stigma, discrimination and violations must be stopped.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses
Fulltext Suicide pact in Malaysia: a case report

Sumeet Kaur, Syaril Ezuan

ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 2018;19(1):0-0.
MyJurnal

Objective: Suicide pacts are rare subsets of suicides amounting to less than 1% of suicides globally. Usually, there is one dominant participant to persuade the other by their shared experiences to agree to the suicide pact. There is also the perceived loss of a partner (which is a contributing factor in about 20% of cases) with the impending death of one member acting as a trigger.

Methods: We report a 46-year-old Burmese lady who presented with deliberate self- poisoning immediately after the death of her husband to honour a suicide pact they made. She had no previous history of psychiatric illnesses. The pact, initiated by her husband, was well planned six months prior to his death.

Result: She was discharged well after a thorough medical evaluation and supportive therapy. Input of family members knowledgeable in Buddhism helped allay her obligation to the pact citing religious reasons.

Conclusion: The case highlights a suicide pact that was initially unrecognised in the ward. In a multicultural country, psychiatrists need to be more sensitive and aware of erroneous beliefs that may lead to a suicide pact.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses
Fulltext Socioeconomic Correlates of Contraceptive Use among the Ethnic Tribal Women of Bangladesh: Does Sex Preference Matter?

Kamal SM, Hassan CH

J Family Reprod Health, 2013 Jun;7(2):73-86.
PMID: 24971107

Objective: To examine the relationship between socioeconomic factors affecting contraceptive use among tribal women of Bangladesh with focusing on son preference over daughter.
Materials and methods: The study used data gathered through a cross sectional survey on four tribal communities resided in the Rangamati Hill District of the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh. A multistage random sampling procedure was applied to collect data from 865 currently married women of whom 806 women were currently married, non-pregnant and had at least one living child, which are the basis of this study. The information was recorded in a pre-structured questionnaire. Simple cross tabulation, chi-square tests and logistic regression analyses were performed to analyzing data.
Results: The contraceptive prevalence rate among the study tribal women was 73%. The multivariate analyses yielded quantitatively important and reliable estimates of likelihood of contraceptive use. Findings revealed that after controlling for other variables, the likelihood of contraceptive use was found not to be significant among women with at least one son than those who had only daughters, indicating no preference of son over daughter. Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggests that home visitations by family planning workers, tribal identity, place of residence, husband's education, and type of family, television ownership, electricity connection in the household and number of times married are important determinants of any contraceptive method use among the tribal women.
Conclusion. The contraceptive use rate among the disadvantaged tribal women was more than that of the national level. Door-step delivery services of modern methods should be reached and available targeting the poor and remote zones.
Keywords: Bangladesh, Contraceptive use, Ethnic tribal women, Sex preference, Logistic regression

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses
Fulltext Social support in physical activity among pregnant women: does it really help?

Nazatul Yusrina Mohamad Yuso, Nor Afiah Mohd Zulkefli, Rosliza Abd Manaf

Malaysian Journal of Medicine and Health Sciences, 2019;15(104):91-91.
MyJurnal

Introduction: Antenatal period is the best time to promote physical activity among women. However, this oppor-tunity is usually missed due to various factors such perceived harm to the baby, tiredness, difficulty to perform the activities, pelvic and back pain, lack of information, as well as low social support. This study determined the associ-ation of social support with the level of physical activity among pregnant women in the district of Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. Methods: A total of 936 antenatal women met the eligibility criteria and were enrolled in a cross-sectional study using proportionate stratified random sampling. Data on social support from the spouse, family and friend were obtained using a 5-point Likert scale while physical activity was assessed using a short version of the Interna-tional Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Statistical analysis was conducted using chi-square test to evaluate the association between the study variables. Results: A total of 880 respondents completed the questionnaire. Out of that, 64.2% were physically inactive. Significant associations were found between social support from the spouse (p < 0.001), family (p = 0.001) and friends (p = 0.004) with the level of physical activity among the respondents. Conclusion: Social support plays a pivotal role in motivating antenatal women to perform physical activity. Thus, health intervention on physical activity among these women should involve the spouse, family members and friends to ensure the success of the program.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses
Sexual intimacy in later life: From the perspectives of older couples in Malaysia

Minhat HS, Mat Din H, Hamid TA, Hassan Nudin SS

Geriatr Gerontol Int, 2019 Jun;19(6):492-496.
PMID: 30920129 DOI: 10.1111/ggi.13648

AIM: To identify the determinants of sexual intimacy among married older people in Malaysia.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 1294 married Malaysian older couples who were randomly selected from all 14 states in Malaysia. The data were collected by trained enumerators using a set of validated questionnaires consisting of eight sections, namely sociodemographic characteristics, chronic diseases, perceived health status, life satisfaction, body mass index, disability status (World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule), social support (Lubben Social Network Scale) and sexual intimacy.
RESULTS: Having good social support (AOR 0.57, 95% CI 0.45-0.74) from family and friends were protective determinants against poor sexual intimacy in later life. Meanwhile, those who were aged 70-79 years (AOR 1.81, 95% CI 1.35-2.42), aged >80 years (AOR 35.49, 95% CI 4.80-262.18), women (AOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.13-1.90), non-Malay (AOR 1.93, 95% CI 1.50-2.48), received only informal education (AOR 1.81, 95% CI 1.35-2.42), had gastritis (AOR 2.62, 95% CI 1.58-4.34), had a stroke (AOR 3.83, 95% CI 1.04-14.12), perceived their current health status was satisfactory (AOR 1.52, 95% CI 1.15-2.00) and disabled based on the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (AOR 3.14, 95% CI 1.34-7.36) were at risk of poor sexual intimacy.
CONCLUSIONS: The majority of older Malaysian couples were having poor sexual intimacy despite being still married and sleeping with their partners, reflecting the presence of underlying barriers towards sexual intimacy in later life among older Malaysians. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 492-496.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses*
Fulltext Role of the husband's knowledge and behaviour in postnatal depression: a case study of an immigrant Pakistani woman

Khan TM, Arif NH, Tahir H, Anwar M

Ment Health Fam Med, 2009 Dec;6(4):195-201.
PMID: 22477910

Objective. This study aims to highlight the subjective experience of an immigrant Pakistani woman during postnatal depression (PND), with a special emphasis on the husband's knowledge and behaviour towards PND.
Methods. A face-to-face interview was conducted with a woman reporting symptoms of depression on the fourth day after delivery. She was evaluated using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM IV)(1) and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Rating Scale (EPDRS).(2) The evaluations were completed by a qualified psychiatrist. The demographic information, personal and family medical history and attitude towards the child were the principal issues recorded. In addition, five items were used to evaluate the husband's knowledge about PND. The EPDRS differences before and after counselling were evaluated using a student t-test.
Results. The patient was 32 years old and this was her first experience of delivery by Caesarean section. The evaluation for depression confirmed the diagnosis of PND and she scored 16 on the EPDRS. The husband's knowledge of PND was poor.
Conclusion. This case study suggests that lack of social support and understanding appear to play a vital role in the persistence of symptoms of PND among new mothers. Therefore, counselling of couples may be an effective additional tool in treating PND.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses
Fulltext Psychosocial impact of perinatal loss among Muslim women

Sutan R, Miskam HM

BMC Womens Health, 2012;12:15.
PMID: 22708998 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6874-12-15

Women of reproductive age are vulnerable to psychosocial problems, but these have remained largely unexplored in Muslim women in developing countries. The aim of this study was to explore and describe psychosocial impact and social support following perinatal loss among Muslim women.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses
Fulltext Psychometric properties of the Malay Version of the hospital anxiety and depression scale: a study of husbands of breast cancer patients in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Yusoff N, Low WY, Yip CH

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2011;12(4):915-7.
PMID: 21790225

The main objective of this paper is to examine the psychometric properties of the Malay Version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), tested on 67 husbands of the women who were diagnosed with breast cancer. The eligible husbands were retrieved from the Clinical Oncology Clinic at three hospitals in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Data was collected at three weeks and ten weeks following surgery for breast cancer of their wives. The psychometric properties of the HADS were reported based on Cronbach' alpha, Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC), Effect Size Index (ESI), sensitivity and discriminity of the scale. Internal consistency of the scale is excellent, with Cronbach's alpha of 0.88 for Anxiety subscale and 0.79 for Depression subscale. Test-retest Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) is 0.35 and 0.42 for Anxiety and Depression Subscale, respectively. Small mean differences were observed at test-retest measurement with ESI of 0.21 for Anxiety and 0.19 for Depression. Non-significant result was revealed for the discriminant validity (mastectomy vs lumpectomy). The Malay Version of the HADS is appropriate to measure the anxiety and depression among the husbands of the women with breast cancer in Malaysia.
Study site: Oncology clinic, University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses/psychology*
Fulltext Psychological impact of polygamous marriage on women and children: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Shaiful Bahari I, Norhayati MN, Nik Hazlina NH, Mohamad Shahirul Aiman CAA, Nik Muhammad Arif NA

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth, 2021 Dec 13;21(1):823.
PMID: 34903212 DOI: 10.1186/s12884-021-04301-7

BACKGROUND: Over the last two decades, there has been significant growth in public, political, and academic awareness of polygamy. Polygamous families have distinct household problems, usually stemming from jealousy between co-wives over the husband's affections and resources. This study aimed to ascertain the psychological impact of polygamous marriage on women and children worldwide.
METHODS: A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Google Scholar, and ProQuest using search terms such as "marriage" and "polygamy." Studies published from the inception of the respective databases until April 2021 were retrieved to assess their eligibility for inclusion in this study. The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist was used for data extraction and the quality assessment of the included studies. The generic inverse variance and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using RevMan software.
RESULTS: There were 24 studies fulfilling the eligibility criteria, and 23 studies had a low risk of bias. The pooled meta-analysis showed women in polygamous marriages had a 2.25 (95% CI: 1.20, 4.20) higher chance of experiencing depression than in monogamous marriages. Children with polygamous parents had a significantly higher Global Severity Index with a mean difference of 0.21 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.33) than those with monogamous parents.
CONCLUSIONS: The psychological impact of polygamous marriage on women and children was found to be relatively higher than monogamous marriage. Awareness of the proper practices for polygamy should be strengthened so that its adverse effects can be minimized. The agencies involved in polygamous practices should broaden and enhance their understanding of the correct practice of polygamy.

Matched MeSH terms: Spouses/psychology*

Filters

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links