Effects of maternal depression and prenatal SSRI exposure on executive functions and susceptibility to household chaos in 6-year-old children: prospective cohort study

Background Maternal depressed mood during pregnancy may shape a child's adaptation to their environment and engagement in goal-directed behaviour such as executive functions. Whether everyday household context also alters executive functions in children with prenatal selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressant exposure remains to be determined. Aims To examine the impact of prenatal depressed maternal mood and SSRI exposure on child executive functions and to determine whether these exposures shape a susceptibility to household chaos. Method A prospective cohort study of mothers and their children (118 mother–children dyads (47 SSRI-exposed, 71 non-exposed)) followed from the second trimester to 6 years. Regression models examined relationships between maternal depressed mood and household chaos on maternal report of child executive functions. Competitive-confirmatory regression models examined whether children were susceptible to household chaos or were positively influenced by less chaos. Results Prenatal SSRI exposure, third-trimester maternal depressed mood and household chaos in a three-way interaction were associated with executive functions within a model of differential susceptibility. When household chaos was low, children of non-prenatally depressed mothers had better executive function than children of prenatally depressed mothers, regardless of whether the mothers were SSRI-treated. However, when household chaos was high, SSRI-exposed children of mothers who were not depressed during pregnancy had poorer executive functions at 6 years of age compared with SSRI-exposed children whose mothers were symptomatic during pregnancy. Conclusions The impact of household chaos depended on whether mothers were prenatally depressed and whether mothers were SSRI-treated.

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The impact of postpartum depressive symptoms on self-reported infant health and analgesic consumption at the age of 12 months: A prospective cohort study

Journal of Psychiatric Research ◽

10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.02.036 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 136 ◽

pp. 388-397

Author(s):

Aleksi Ruohomäki ◽

Elena Toffol ◽

Ville Airaksinen ◽

Katri Backman ◽

Raimo Voutilainen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Prospective Cohort Study ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

Infant Health ◽

Postpartum Depressive Symptoms ◽

Analgesic Consumption ◽

The Impact

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Health literacy, health status and health behaviors of German students– study protocol for the “Healthy Habits” cohort study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-11542-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Martin Lange ◽

Alexandra Löwe ◽

Gerrit Stassen ◽

Andrea Schaller

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Health Status ◽

Health Literacy ◽

Health Behavior ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Prospective Cohort Study ◽

Prospective Cohort ◽

The State ◽

The Impact ◽

Study Format

Abstract Background The emerging adulthood is traditionally viewed as a time of optimal health, but also as a critical life span, characterized by changing life circumstances and the establishment of an individual lifestyle. Especially university life seems to hold several challenges impeding the manifestation of a health supporting manner, as many students tend to show a poorer health behavior and a higher amount of health-related problems than comparable age groups. This, along with a steady growth of the higher education sector, brings increased attention to the university setting in the context of prevention. To date, there are few empirical longitudinal and coherent cross-sectional data on the status of students’ health literacy, health status, and health behaviors, and on the impact of the study format on students’ health. The aim of this prospective cohort study is to reduce this research gap. Methods Starting during winter semester 2020/21, the prospective cohort study collects data on health literacy, health status and health behavior on a semester-by-semester basis. All enrolled students of the IST University of Applied Sciences, regardless of study format and discipline, can participate in the study at the beginning of their first semester. The data are collected digitally via a specifically programmed app. A total of 103 items assess the subjectively perceived health status, life and study satisfaction, sleep quality, perceived stress, physical activity, diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, drug addiction and health literacy. Statistical analysis uses (1) multivariate methods to look at changes within the three health dimensions over time and (2) the association between the three health dimensions using multiple regression methods and correlations. Discussion This cohort study collects comprehensive health data from students on the course of study. It is assumed that gathered data will provide information on how the state of health develops over the study period. Also, different degrees of correlations of health behavior and health literacy will reveal different impacts on the state of students’ health. Furthermore, this study will contribute to empirically justified development of target group-specific interventions. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register: DRKS00023397 (registered on October 26, 2020).

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