The correlation between social support during the postpartum period and the level of readiness for hospital discharge

Abstract

This is a descriptive study, aimed at determining the correlation between social support in the postpartum period and the level of readiness for hospital discharge. Methods: The study was conducted with 291 women during their stay in the postpartum unit of a public hospital in eastern Turkey. The participants to be included in the study sample were selected using random sampling. The study data were collected using an individual introduction form RHDS-NMF, and the MSPSS.The researchers used the chi square test, the test for the significance of the difference between two means (t test), and the Pearson's Correlation Analysis to complete the statistical analyses. Results: In the study, the RHDS-NMF total mean score of the participating women was 140.37±25.81, and their total score on the MSPSS was 66.65±14.28. The study also found that 93.9% of the women felt ready to go home, and the MSPSS mean score of those who felt ready was higher than those who did not (p<0.05). Conclusion: The women's readiness for hospital discharge was affected by their perceived social support, and the level of their readiness would increase when the level of social support provided to them increased as well.