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Limits and Perspectives for the Assessment of Anxiety and Fear of COVID-19 in Pregnant Women [Response To Letter]
Authors Muñoz-Vela FJ, Fernández-Carrasco FJ, Gómez-Salgado J , Allande-Cussó R , Marques Monteiro Dias Mendes IM, Martins Teixeira-da-Costa EI , Vázquez-Lara JM, Fagundo-Rivera J , Rodríguez-Díaz L
Received 7 December 2023
Accepted for publication 8 December 2023
Published 12 December 2023 Volume 2023:16 Pages 4993—4994
Francisco Javier Muñoz-Vela,1,2 Francisco Javier Fernández-Carrasco,3 Juan Gómez-Salgado,4,5 Regina Allande-Cussó,6 Isabel Margarida Marques Monteiro Dias Mendes,7 Emilia Isabel Martins Teixeira-da-Costa,8,9 Juana María Vázquez-Lara,3 Javier Fagundo-Rivera,10 Luciano Rodríguez-Díaz3
1Department of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malaga, Malaga, Spain; 2Obstetrics and Gynecology Area, Hospital Regional Universitario de Malaga, Málaga, Spain; 3Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ceuta University Hospital, Midwifery Teaching Unit of Ceuta, Spain, University of Granada, Ceuta, Spain; 4Department of Sociology, Social Work and Public Health, Faculty of Labour Sciences, University of Huelva, Huelva, Spain; 5Safety and Health Postgraduate Programme, Universidad Espíritu Santo, Guayaquil, Ecuador; 6Department of Nursing. University of Seville, Seville, Spain; 7Unidade Científico-Pedagógica de Enfermagem de Saúde Materna, Obstétrica e Ginecológica, UICISA: E. Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; 8Nursing Department. Health School. University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal; 9Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing, Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal; 10Centro Universitario de Enfermería Cruz Roja, Sevilla, Spain
Correspondence: Juan Gómez-Salgado, Department of Sociology, Social Work and Public Health, Faculty of Labour Sciences, University of Huelva, Avda. Tres de Marzo, S/N, Huelva, 21007, Spain, Tel +34 959219700, Email [email protected]
View the original paper by Dr Muñoz-Vela and colleagues
This is in response to the Letter to the Editor
Dear editor
The authors would like to express sincere gratitude for the thoughtful and constructive feedback provided in this letter regarding the manuscript titled “Assessment of Levels of Anxiety and Fear of Covid-19 in a Population of Pregnant Women in Spain”.
First of all, the assessments of the strengths and contributions of our research are welcomed; following this, the comments and suggestions have been thankfully received by the authors. The importance of highlighting these limitations and opportunities for improvement is appreciated as, perhaps, these were not firmly underlined in the article. This study is the result of a series of academic research1,2 whose main aim was to improve the quality of life of pregnant women. Given this, all comments are greeted and will surely influence further investigations.
Consequently, it is true that online survey administration eliminates the need for direct supervision, thus fostering honesty and freedom of response among the subjects in our sample.
In the same vein, collecting data only in certain locations in Spain could affect the generalisability of the data. It is recognised the importance of obtaining a more comprehensive understanding of the variables studied in diverse geographical regions in Spain.
The absence of the cultural variable as a mediator in our study is indeed a reasonable limitation, and it may have a potential impact on the interpretation of cultural constraints related to vaccine apprehension in certain nations. So, it is agreed that future research should incorporate the analysis of variables related to the cultural and religious context and should also incorporate mixed research methods that allow in-depth interviews3 with the sample in order to strengthen4 data collection on a topic as intricate as pregnant women’s mental health.
In conclusion, this study undeniably provides valuable information that is relevant for clinical practice, intervention development, and evaluation of emotional symptoms in pregnant women. The identified limitations will serve as guides for future research in this same field of study. By adhering to recommended research and sampling strategies, upcoming studies can be built, allowing for improved robustness and applicability of the findings.
Funding
This Communication Has Not Received Any Public or Private Funding.
Disclosure
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this communication.
References
1. Muñoz-Vela FJ, Rodríguez-Díaz L, Gómez-Salgado J, et al. Fear and anxiety in pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review. Int J Public Health. 2023;68:1605587. doi:10.3389/ijph.2023.1605587
2. Muñoz-Vela FJ, Rodríguez-Díaz L, Fernández-Carrasco FJ, et al. Adaptation and psychometric study of the scale for the measurement of fear and anxiety of COVID-19 disease in pregnant women (AMICO_Pregnant). Front Public Health. 2023;11:1225822. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2023.1225822
3. Parray AA, Hossain MR, Sultana R, Aktar B, Rashid SF. “Younger women had more access to COVID-19 information”: an intersectional analysis of factors influencing women and girls’ access to COVID-19 information in Rohingya and host communities in Bangladesh. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2022;2(12):e0000459. doi:10.1371/journal.pgph.0000459
4. Thongsomboon W, Kaewkiattikun K, Kerdcharoen N. Perceived stress and associated factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Urban Thailand. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2020;13:1115–1122.
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