THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SELECTED FACTORS, STRESS, AND COPING OF PREGNANT WOMEN WITH GESTATIONAL DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

The present study was descriptive research aimed at studying the relationships between selected factors and the level of stress and coping of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The stress appraisal and coping model of Lazarus and Folkman was employed as the conceptual framework for the study. The sample group comprised of 113 pregnant women diagnosed with GDM at Ramathibodi Hospital and Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital from June 2015 to January 2016. The instrumentation employed in the study comprised of a Personal Data Questionnaire, an Uncertainty Questionnaire, a Social Support Questionnaire, a Stress Appraisal Scale and a Coping Questionnaire. The data was analyzed by using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s product moment correlation. 

According to the research findings, pregnant women with GDM have moderate levels of stress. Age and education were not found to be correlated with the level of stress and coping of pregnant women with GDM. Uncertainty was moderate, positively correlated with the level of stress (r=.52) and negatively related with problem-focused coping (r=-.19). Overall social support was high with the most social support being provided by health care staff.  Social support was also found to be negatively correlated with the level of stress (r=-.25), positively correlated with coping (r=.26), and problem-focused coping (r=.39).

The following recommendations are suggested by the findings: Health care teams and nurses are sources of social support with maximum capacity. As such, they should provide sufficient information about GDM in order to reduce the uncertainty and stress of pregnant women with GDM to ensure this group can properly cope with stress.