Table 2. Social Support: Component Measures and Social Support Scales by Postpartum Employment Status (n = 700)
Measures/ScalesNot EmployedEmployedTotalP value*
Partner support (among women with partners)
    Components of social support from partner/husband (mean)
        Mean emotional support2.62.62.6.652
        Mean practical support2.32.52.4.434
        Mean affectionate support2.72.82.7.782
        Mean enjoyment support2.42.52.4.652
     Partner support index (%)
        Low (0–4)15.910.614.0
        Medium (5–8)19.119.919.4
        High (9–12)33.839.735.9
        Very high (13–16)31.329.930.8.565
Other support (among all women)
     Components of social support from others (mean)
        Mean emotional support2.52.42.5.242
        Mean practical support2.02.22.1.199
        Mean affectionate support2.12.02.1.347
        Mean enjoyment support2.02.22.1.336
     Other support index (%)
        Low (0–4)15.118.616.4
        Medium (5–8)35.033.434.4
        High (9–12)35.834.035.1
        Very high (13–16)14.114.114.1.873
Combined support (among women who answered both support questions) (%)
    No high support23.020.722.2
    High partner support only27.129.027.8
    High other support only11.99.811.2
    High partner and other support38.040.638.9.886
  • Women who do not have partners are excluded from calculations related to partner support variables, resulting in a weighted n of 651 for those variables.

  • * Reported P values are from χ2 tests for categorical variables and adjusted Wald tests for continuous variables.