The psychological health of sole mothers in Australia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the psychological wellbeing of sole mothers in Australia.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analyses of survey data from The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health.


METHODS
9689 younger women (aged 22-27 years) surveyed in 2000 and 12 338 mid-age women (aged 47-52 years) surveyed in 1998.


METHODS
Demographic characteristics and economic status; prevalence of suicidal thoughts, self-harm, and psychoactive medication use; depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) and psychological health (the Mental Health Component Score of the Medical Outcome Short Form Health Survey [SF-36]).


RESULTS
Among the younger women, sole mothers were more likely than other women to have experienced suicidal thoughts (odds ratio [OR], 2.18; 95% CI, 1.45-3.27) and self-harm (OR, 3.25; 95% CI, 1.97-5.38). Among the younger and mid-age women, sole mothers were the group most likely to have used medication for depression (ORs, 2.75 [95% CI, 1.76-4.30] and 2.29 [95% CI, 1.56-3.37], respectively). They were more than twice as likely to have experienced depression, and had significantly poorer psychological health (P < 0.001). After adjusting for economic status, only depression and psychological health remained significantly associated with sole motherhood, and the strength of these relationships was reduced.


CONCLUSIONS
Economic status partly accounts for the relatively poorer psychological health of sole mothers. Sole mothers are more likely than other women to experience debilitating psychological health problems.
Research Centre for Gender and Health, University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW. deborah.loxton@newcastle.edu.au
Deborah
D
Loxton
Rosemary
R
Mooney
Anne F
AF
Young
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008603:Mental Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology; D015406:Single Parent / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016387:Women's Health
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents