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AJPH First Look, published online ahead of print Mar 29, 2007
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May 2007, Vol 97, No. 5 | American Journal of Public Health 860-866
© 2007 American Public Health Association
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2005.080374

RESEARCH AND PRACTICE

Husbands’ Involvement in Housework and Women’s Psychosocial Health: Findings From a Population-Based Study in Lebanon

Marwan Khawaja, PhD and Rima R. Habib, PhD

Marwan Khawaja is with the Center for Research on Population and Health, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon. Rima R. Habib is with the Department of Environmental Health, American University of Beirut, Beirut.

Correspondence: Request for reprints should be sent to Marwan Khawaja, PhD, Center for Research on Population and Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, American University of Beirut, Box 11-0236 Riad El-Solh, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon (e-mail: marwan.khawaja{at}aub.edu.lb).

Objectives. We examined the association between husbands’ involvement in housework and the psychosocial health of their wives using data on married couples living in poor neighborhoods in Beirut, Lebanon.

Methods. Data were derived from a cross-sectional survey of 2797 households; 1652 married couples and their families were included in the analysis. An index of husbands’ relative involvement in housework was constructed from 25 items focusing on division of housework activities. Logistic regression was used to assess associations between husbands’ involvement in housework and wives’ self-rated mental health status, marital dissatisfaction, and unhappiness.

Results. Husbands’ involvement in housework was negatively associated with wives’ psychological distress, marital dissatisfaction, and overall unhappiness after adjustment for relevant risk factors. In comparison with wives whose husbands were highly involved in housework, wives whose husbands were minimally involved were 1.60 times more likely to be distressed, 2.96 times more likely to be uncomfortable with their husbands, and 2.69 times more likely to be unhappy.

Conclusions. Our results showed a significant association between husbands’ involvement in housework and their wives’ psychosocial health.






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Copyright © 2007 by the American Public Health Association