Author(s) :

Kafayat O. Oshodi (Ph.D) .

Volume/Issue :

Abstract :

The study investigated the Pre-Term Delivery (PTD) among Army Personnel Wives (APW) during Spousal deployment (SD) in selected Army Barracks (ABs) in Southwest, Nigeria (SW, N). Health Belief Model and a semi-structured questionnaire were administered to 890 APW. Thirty-six Indepth Interviews were conducted with APW and medical personnel. Twenty-seven Key Informant Interviews were conducted with six doctors (three in each MHs) and 21 nurses (three in each ABs). The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square, and Spearman Rank Correlation. Respondents` age was 31.00±5.63years; 50.5% were primiparous, 34.3% were Hausa- Fulani, and 19.1% had tertiary education. The result showed APW experienced PTD (74%), which coincides with SD. Causes of PTD included unaffordable medical bills (48%) and stress (48%). There was a significant correlation between High and Bad Stress and SD (rs=0.107) due to the frequency of times of SD. Single parenting predisposed APW to much stress, which resulted in PTD. SDs predisposed APWs to PTD in selected ABs in the SW, N. Military authorities should focus more on PT whose spouses are deployed than on available spouses and bridge the widening communication gap between spouses during deployments. This is to reduce the fears and anxieties vis-à-vis PRs' experiences and outcomes among spouses. Key words: Army personnel wives, Spousal Deployment, Perinatal Risks and Outcomes, Preterm Term Delivery.

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