(889) Measurements of Pregnancy-Related Anxiety in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review

This paper intends to evaluate existing literature to determine which pregnancy-related anxiety scales have been used in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Study Design: PubMed, Health and Psychosocial Instruments (HaPI), and APA PsycNet were searched systematically for relevant studies in the English language. Eligible studies (1) screened for anxiety; (2) examined anxiety specifically in pregnant people; (3) were conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa; and (4) specified a validated measurement or scale used to evaluate pregnancy-related anxiety. Articles were evaluated blindly by three researchers for inclusion in two stages: An abstract and title review, followed by a full text review. Screening tools and evaluation of validity were extracted for each study, as well as region, country, clinical population, and number of participants.

Results: Of the 271 articles screened for inclusion, 37 full-text articles were included in the final paper. These articles yielded 25 different screening tools used to evaluate anxiety in pregnant women in Sub-Saharan Africa. The most frequent location for the study administrations was South Africa (11 studies), with Tanzania (5 studies), Ethiopia (5 studies), Nigeria (4 studies), and Ghana (4 studies) being other common study locations. The most commonly used tools to evaluate pregnancy-related anxiety in Sub-Saharan Africa were the GAD-7 (8 studies), STAI (6 studies), SRQ-20 (5 studies), and EPDS (5 studies).

Conclusion: In conclusion, this scoping review sheds light on the current state of research on pregnancy-related anxiety in Sub-Saharan Africa. There remains a significant need for further investigation into the impact of pregnancy on mental health in Sub-Saharan Africa and this study emphasizes the importance of developing and validating culturally sensitive scales that consider the local contexts and challenges faced by pregnant women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Addressing these gaps will contribute to the development of improved interventions for pregnancy-related anxiety in Sub-Saharan Africa, ultimately improving the mental health outcomes of pregnant women in these regions.