Table 1 Socio-demographic characteristics of the participants and prevalence of clinically significant psychological distress (GHQ-28 ≥ 5)
From: Mental health among single mothers in Cyprus: a cross-sectional descriptive correlational study
Demographic characteristics | GHQ-28 (total score) ≥ 5 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Â | % (n=) | % | x2 | Df | P value |
Age | |||||
 23–34 | 25,4 (80) | 40.5 | 6.417 | 2 | 0.040 |
 35–44 | 51,7 (163) | 57.1 |  |  | |
 45–59 | 22,9 (72) | 46.5 |  |  | |
Educational level | |||||
 Junior high school | 7,9 (25) | 60 | 10.290 | 3 | 0.016 |
 High school | 32,4 (102) | 49.5 |  |  | |
 Higher education | 23.5 (74) | 63.5 |  |  | |
 University | 36.2 (114) | 40.7 |  |  | |
Single family status | |||||
 Separated | 9,5 (30) | 53.3 | 1.768 | 3 | 0.622 |
 Widow | 9,2 (29) | 60.7 |  |  |  |
 Divorced | 73,1 (231) | 49.6 |  |  |  |
 Unmarried | 7,9 (25) | 44 |  |  |  |
How long as single mother | |||||
  < 2 years | 20.5 (65) | 62.5 | 5.613 | 2 | 0.060 |
 2–4 years | 33 (103) | 43.7 |  |  |  |
 5 or more years | 46.5 (147) | 50.5 |  |  |  |
Children age < 12 years old | |||||
 Yes | 64.9 (204) | 49.5 | 0.302 | 1 | 0.583 |
 No | 35.1 (109) | 52.8 |  |  |  |
Employment status | |||||
 Economically inactive | 8.2 (26) | 69.2 | 6.792 | 3 | 0.079 |
 Unemployed | 7.6 (24) | 50 |  |  |  |
 Working part-time | 10.4 (33) | 62.5 |  |  |  |
 Working full-time | 73.4 (232) | 46.8 |  |  |  |
Monthly family income | |||||
  > 1000 | 27.8 (88) | 65.5 | 15.297 | 5 | 0.009 |
 1000–1499 | 27.2 (86) | 50 |  |  |  |
 1500–1999 | 18.0 (57) | 42.9 |  |  |  |
 2000–2499 | 10.1 (32) | 40.6 |  |  |  |
 2500–3499 | 12.0 (38) | 47.4 |  |  |  |
  ≥ 3500 | 4.4 (14) | 21.4 |  |  |  |
Member of SMA | |||||
 No | 56.8 (179) | 46.4 | 2.598 | 1 | 0.107 |
 Yes | 43.2 (136) | 55.6 |  |  |  |
Single mothers’ allowance recipient | |||||
 Yes | 58.9 (186) | 53.3 | 1.382 | 1 | 0.240 |
 No | 40.8 (129) | 46.5 |  |  |  |
Financial child support from the father | |||||
 Yes | 51.9 (163) | 45.4 | 3.512 | 1 | 0.061 |
 No | 48.1 (152) | 56 |  |  |  |
Economic hardship during the last 12 months | |||||
 Yes | 79.7 (252) | 57.2 | 23.235 | 1 | < 0.001 |
 No | 20.3 (64) | 23.4 |  |  |  |
Limiting-long standing illness | |||||
 Yes | 49.4 (156) | 65.2 | 26.976 | 1 | < 0.001 |
 No | 50.6 (160) | 35.8 |  |  |  |
Physical activity | |||||
 Yes | 30.8 (97) | 56.4 | 10.626 | 1 | 0.001 |
 No | 69.2 (218) | 36.5 |  |  |  |
Smoking habit | |||||
 Yes | 39.4 (124) | 53.2 | 0.693 | 1 | 0.405 |
 No | 60.6 (191) | 48.4 |  |  |  |
Alcohol consumption | |||||
 Yes | 30.8 (97) | 53.9 | 3.639 | 1 | 0.056 |
 No | 69.2 (218) | 42.3 |  |  |  |