Abstract:
Introduction: Insomnia has become a global public health concern. Mothers are more likely to experience it during the postpartum period. It has a far-reaching impact during this period on the mother as well as her infants. Its cause is not clearly known but may be associated with different factors. Despite these, studies done so far were conducted among general populations and neglected mothers in the postpartum period generally in Ethiopia specifically in the study area. Therefore, this study can provide evidence regarding the problem in the study area.
Objective: The objective of this study was to assess prevalence of insomnia and its associated factors among mothers who gave birth in the last 12 months in Arba Minch town, Gamo zone, Ethiopia 2021.
Methods: A Community based cross-sectional study was employed among mothers who gave birth in the last 12 months in Arba Minch town, Ethiopia from 01/April to 01/May, 2021. A total of 451 samples were determined for the study and participants were selected using a simple random sampling technique from all kebeles in Arba Minch town. Data were collected using a structured pretested questionnaire. It was entered into epi-data version 3.1 and was exported to Statistical package for social sciences version 26 for further analysis. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and multivariable logistic regression analysis were done. Variables with a p-value of < 0.2 in the bivariate analysis were added to multivariable logistic regression analyses and those with a p-value < 0.05 in the final model were declared statistically significant. Model fitness was checked using Hosmer and Lemshow test.
Result: A total of 444 mothers were involved in this study, with a response rate of 98.45%. Of them, 23.2% of mothers had insomnia. Unplanned pregnancy [AOR=4.4, 95% CI (2.2, 8.7)], alcohol use [AOR=3.0, 95% CI (1.4, 6.5)], low social support [AOR= 9.7, 95% CI (4.4, 21.1)], medium social support [AOR=2.2, 95% CI (1.1, 4.3)] and having depression [AOR=10.7, 95% CI (5.7, 20.0)] were factors associated with insomnia in postpartum period.
Conclusion and recommendations: More than one in five women of postpartum period had insomnia in the study area. Unplanned index pregnancy, alcohol use, poor and medium social supports, and depression were factors associated with insomnia. Mother would better have planned pregnancy, and avoid alcohol consumption.
