Stressful events among pregnant Salvadoran women: a cross-cultural comparison.

OBJECTIVE

To compare stressful events, including violent episodes, experienced by pregnant Salvadoran women with those experienced by two other groups of low-income, pregnant women living in the United States (non-Salvadoran Hispanics and non-Hispanics) and to examine the association between episodes of violence and drug or alcohol use among the three groups.

DESIGN

Comparative, descriptive study.

SETTING

Public health prenatal clinics.

PARTICIPANTS

One hundred four Salvadoran, 69 non-Salvadoran Hispanic, and 187 non-Hispanic pregnant women.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Difficult Life Circumstances (DLC) scale and psychosocial history assessment.

RESULTS

Statistically significant differences were found among the three groups in total DLC scores, F(2, 357) = 14.98, p < .001; reported episodes of violence, F(2, 357 = 17.82, p < .001; and drug or alcohol use, F(2, 357) = 6.33, p < .001. A significant difference was found to the extent that alcohol or drug use accounted for the variance in violence among the three groups, F(3, 360) = 6.28, p < .001.

CONCLUSIONS

Cross-cultural comparisons revealed group differences in the number of stressful events, including episodes of violence and alcohol or drug use.