Objective: To determine if a tool measures maternal concerns in different populations of women.
Design: Secondary analysis of data in five master's theses using the Maternal Concerns Questionnaire.
Setting: Data were collected in postpartum units and homes. Populations were composed of rural and urban women.
Participants: Five groups of childbearing women (N = 187) during the antepartum or postpartum periods.
Main outcomes: Subjects responded to 46 items related to concerns about themselves and their infants, partners, families, and community activities.
Results: The Maternal Concerns Questionnaire discriminates specific concerns between populations.
Conclusions: The Maternal Concerns Questionnaire can be used in clinical practice to identify the specific concerns of mothers. The information gained can be used to individualize nursing-care plans and to measure outcomes.