The Impact of the Five Domains of Social Determinants of Health on Resilience Among Postpartum Women in Dayton, Ohio
Abstract
Background: The objective of this study is to utilize patient-reported experiences and publicly available neighborhood social determinants of health (SDoH) characteristics to examine resilience among postpartum women within the 5 domains of SDoH.
Methods: Postpartum women receiving care at a large urban medical center in Ohio from 2017-2019 participated in a 3-part survey. The survey collected demographic information, barriers to care, and agency (confidence in achieving goals) and pathway (ability to identify strategies to achieve goals) resilience scores. Participants were grouped by 1) neighborhood SDoH characteristics, categorized into high- or low-severity based on publicly available zip code data (crime rate, food desert, and poverty level) and 2) self-reported barriers to care marked as problematic at least some of the time. Statistical analyses included t test and analysis of variance (ANOVA).
Results: Responses from 69 participants were analyzed. Participants in high-crime areas had significantly higher agency scores than those in low-crime areas (high = 28.6±3.1 vs low = 26.1±3.5; p=.003). Pathway scores were significantly lower among participants reporting barriers such as food insecurity (problem = 22.3±5.9 vs no problem = 27.0±3.8; p=.008), insufficient time for medical appointments (problem=21.5±6.9 vs no problem=27.0±3.9; p=.01), lack of support from friends (problem=22.7±5.6 vs no problem=27.0±3.9; p=.02), difficulty finding childcare (problem=23.9±5.4 vs no problem=27.2±3.7; p=.02), and feeling overwhelmed by stress (problem=25.6±4.5 vs no problem=27.9±3.5; (p=.02).
Conclusion: These findings emphasize the need for targeted programs addressing SDoH affecting pregnant people in Ohio during the perinatal period. Initiatives should focus on reducing stress, strengthening social support, food security, and resilience-building in urban communities.
Keywords: Social determinants of health, Resiliency, Barriers to care, Pregnancy, Survey design
How to Cite:
Whitehead, K., Aboud, A., Bute, L., Wilcher, K., Dhanraj, D., Talbot, G. & Maxwell, R., (2025) “The Impact of the Five Domains of Social Determinants of Health on Resilience Among Postpartum Women in Dayton, Ohio”, Ohio Journal of Public Health 7(2), 1-8. doi: https://doi.org/10.18061/ojph.v7i2.10326
Downloads
Download PDF
