Mental health status of women with multiple roles in a tertiary institution in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Worldwide, women play a central role in household health and economic well-being, and the multiple roles they undertake can affect psychological health. This study assessed the mental health status of women with multiple roles working in a tertiary institution.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 451 female staff at The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, using total sampling of the accessible female staff population. Eligible participants had at least one year of service; pregnant women, those on student industrial work experience, or serving as corps members were excluded. Data was collected from September to October 2016 using a self-administered, semi-structured questionnaire. Mental health status was the primary outcome assessed with the SF-12 tool. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS version 23, including univariate, bivariate, and multivariate methods. Ethical approval was obtained for the study.

Results: Respondents had a mean age of 38.7 years (± 10.7); 59.6% were under 40, and 68.9% were married. Most (84.4%) held multiple roles, with 62.4% reporting average or better mental health outcomes. Multivariate analysis showed that being divorced/separated (OR = 0.18; 95% CI = 0.07-0.47; p = 0.001), widowed (OR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.11–0.57; p = 0.001) and not having domestic care support (OR = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.13–0.47; p < 0.001) lowered the odds of above-average mental health status.

Conclusion: Marital status and social support were key predictors of mental health. Interventions should prioritize strengthening social support networks and providing targeted assistance for women with multiple roles.