The Relationship Between Health Literacy and Spiritual Well-Being With Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in Pregnant Women: A Descriptive-Analytical Research.

Résumé

AIM: Among the key protective factors identified in reducing such psychological complications are health literacy and spiritual well-being. This study aimed to examine the relationship between health literacy and spiritual well-being with symptoms of depression and anxiety in pregnant women.DESIGN: A descriptive-analytical study was planned.METHODS: The study was conducted on a convenience sample of 200 third-trimester pregnant women attending prenatal clinics at teaching hospitals affiliated with Babol University of Medical Sciences, Iran, between January 2024 and July 2024. Data collection tools included validated questionnaires on health literacy, spiritual well-being and the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) to assess symptoms of depression and anxiety during the third trimester. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the associations.RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis indicated that an 'excellent' level of health literacy was significantly associated with reduced odds of anxiety (OR = 0.209, p = 0.005) and depression (OR = 0.307, p = 0.027). Similarly, high spiritual well-being showed a protective effect against both anxiety (OR = 0.296, p = 0.007) and depression (OR = 0.329, p = 0.009). Conversely, having a university-level education was associated with increased likelihood of anxiety (OR = 4.512, p = 0.019). Based on the findings, it is recommended that nurses and health care providers implement educational programs to promote health literacy and strengthen spiritual health in prenatal care for women.