IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i20p13575-d947677.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Causes and Role of Antinatalism in Poland in the Context of Climate Change, Obstetric Care, and Mental Health

Author

Listed:
  • Filip Franciszek Karuga

    (Department of Sleep Medicine and Metabolic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland)

  • Bartosz Szmyd

    (Department of Neurosurgery, Spine and Peripheral Nerves Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, 90-549 Lodz, Poland
    Department of Pediatrics, Oncology, and Hematology, Medical University of Lodz, 91-738 Lodz, Poland)

  • Karolina Petroniec

    (Specialist Regional Hospital in Ciechanow, 06-400 Ciechanow, Poland)

  • Aleksandra Walter

    (Pabianice Medical Center Sp. o.o., 95-200 Pabianice, Poland)

  • Agnieszka Pawełczyk

    (Department of Neurosurgery, Spine and Peripheral Nerves Surgery, Medical University of Lodz, 90-549 Lodz, Poland)

  • Marcin Sochal

    (Department of Sleep Medicine and Metabolic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland)

  • Piotr Białasiewicz

    (Department of Sleep Medicine and Metabolic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland)

  • Dominik Strzelecki

    (Department of Affective and Psychotic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, 92-215 Lodz, Poland)

  • Maria Respondek-Liberska

    (Department for Diagnoses and Prevention, Medical University of Lodz, 93-338 Lodz, Poland
    Department of Prenatal Cardiology, Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital, 93-338 Lodz, Poland)

  • Monika Tadros-Zins

    (Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital, 93-338 Lodz, Poland)

  • Agata Gabryelska

    (Department of Sleep Medicine and Metabolic Disorders, Medical University of Lodz, 90-419 Lodz, Poland)

Abstract

Antinatalism is an umbrella term for numerous moral dilemmas associated with procreation. In the past few years, the deterioration of environmental conditions, social difficulties, global worsening of people’s mental health, and pandemics have induced discussion about antinatalism. Therefore, we aimed to characterize antinatalists in the Polish population in terms of the frequency and description of the main reasons behind this phenomenon. The cross-sectional study was performed in the Polish population. An online, four-part survey was performed between 19 and 25 January 2022. The study group comprised 1240 respondents. Antinatalists ( n = 472, 38%) were defined as people who do not have children and want to be childless in the future, whereas pronatalists ( n = 768, 62%) consisted of people who want to have offspring in the future and/or already have children. The opinion that climate change is a significant reason not to have a child appeared twice as often among antinatalists. Additionally, the performed binary logistic regression model highlighted the importance of the fear of climate change as an independent factor facilitating an antinatalistic attitude. Regarding females, the following factors discouraging them from having a child were observed: fear of child’s congenital diseases, pregnancy complications, dissatisfaction with medical services, and fear of exacerbation of maternal chronic diseases. Anxiety, depression, and stress were not found to be statistically different between pro- and antinatalist groups. However, further analysis revealed that female antinatalists were significantly more depressive and anxious. Our study helps us to understand why, as mentioned beforehand, around 38% of respondents prefer to stay childless. In conclusion, antinatalism views have become relatively prevalent in society, and its reasons include environmental antinatalism and medical factors, including depression and anxiety. However, better access to medical services and changes in climate politics were not found to be significant factors in encouraging society to decide to have offspring.

Suggested Citation

  • Filip Franciszek Karuga & Bartosz Szmyd & Karolina Petroniec & Aleksandra Walter & Agnieszka Pawełczyk & Marcin Sochal & Piotr Białasiewicz & Dominik Strzelecki & Maria Respondek-Liberska & Monika Tad, 2022. "The Causes and Role of Antinatalism in Poland in the Context of Climate Change, Obstetric Care, and Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-13, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:20:p:13575-:d:947677
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/20/13575/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/20/13575/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nicholas A. Mailloux & Colleen P. Henegan & Dorothy Lsoto & Kristen P. Patterson & Paul C. West & Jonathan A. Foley & Jonathan A. Patz, 2021. "Climate Solutions Double as Health Interventions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-15, December.
    2. Nicholas Smith & Anthony Leiserowitz, 2014. "The Role of Emotion in Global Warming Policy Support and Opposition," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 34(5), pages 937-948, May.
    3. Rothenberg, P.B. & Varga, P.E., 1981. "The relationship between age of mother and child health and development," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 71(8), pages 810-817.
    4. Olga Gouni & Gabija Jarašiūnaitė-Fedosejeva & Burcu Kömürcü Akik & Annaleena Holopainen & Jean Calleja-Agius, 2022. "Childlessness: Concept Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-45, January.
    5. Fiona Charlson & Suhailah Ali & Tarik Benmarhnia & Madeleine Pearl & Alessandro Massazza & Jura Augustinavicius & James G. Scott, 2021. "Climate Change and Mental Health: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-38, April.
    6. Emily Grundy & Thijs van den Broek & Katherine Keenan, 2019. "Number of Children, Partnership Status, and Later-life Depression in Eastern and Western Europe," The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, The Gerontological Society of America, vol. 74(2), pages 353-363.
    7. Yohani Dalugoda & Jyothi Kuppa & Hai Phung & Shannon Rutherford & Dung Phung, 2022. "Effect of Elevated Ambient Temperature on Maternal, Foetal, and Neonatal Outcomes: A Scoping Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-22, February.
    8. Alan E. Stewart, 2021. "Psychometric Properties of the Climate Change Worry Scale," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-22, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alan E. Stewart & Harrison E. Chapman & Jackson B. L. Davis, 2023. "Anxiety and Worry about Six Categories of Climate Change Impacts," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(1), pages 1-24, December.
    2. Gonca Kurt & Recep Akdur, 2024. "Under What Conditions Does Climate Change Worry Contribute to Climate Action in Turkey: What Moderates This Relationship?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Csilla Ágoston & Benedek Csaba & Bence Nagy & Zoltán Kőváry & Andrea Dúll & József Rácz & Zsolt Demetrovics, 2022. "Identifying Types of Eco-Anxiety, Eco-Guilt, Eco-Grief, and Eco-Coping in a Climate-Sensitive Population: A Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(4), pages 1-17, February.
    4. Shiri Shinan-Altman & Yaira Hamama-Raz, 2023. "The Association between Climate Change Exposure and Climate Change Worry among Israeli Adults: The Interplay of Risk Appraisal, Collective Efficacy, Age, and Gender," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-14, September.
    5. Ling Jia & Queena K. Qian & Frits Meijer & Henk Visscher, 2020. "Stakeholders’ Risk Perception: A Perspective for Proactive Risk Management in Residential Building Energy Retrofits in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-25, April.
    6. Kailie Drumm & Roxanne Vandermause, 2023. "Adolescents Concerned about Climate Change: A Hermeneutic Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(22), pages 1-15, November.
    7. Sara Oloomi, 2016. "Impact of Paid Family Leave of California on Delayed Childbearing and on Infant Health Outcomes," Departmental Working Papers 2016-08, Department of Economics, Louisiana State University.
    8. Lennart Reifels & Michel L. A. Dückers, 2023. "Disaster Mental Health Risk Reduction: Appraising Disaster Mental Health Research as If Risk Mattered," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-14, May.
    9. Seol A. Kwon, 2022. "Where Does an Individual’s Willingness to Act on Alleviating the Climate Crisis in Korea Arise from?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-17, May.
    10. Juliette N. Rooney-Varga & Florian Kapmeier & John D. Sterman & Andrew P. Jones & Michele Putko & Kenneth Rath, 2020. "The Climate Action Simulation," Simulation & Gaming, , vol. 51(2), pages 114-140, April.
    11. Isobel Sharpe & Colleen M. Davison, 2022. "A Scoping Review of Climate Change, Climate-Related Disasters, and Mental Disorders among Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-19, March.
    12. Odou, Philippe & Schill, Marie, 2020. "How anticipated emotions shape behavioral intentions to fight climate change," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 243-253.
    13. Cheng Liu & Cheuk-Kwan Sun & Yu-Chia Chang & Shang-Yu Yang & Tao Liu & Cheng-Chia Yang, 2021. "The Impact of the Fear of COVID-19 on Purchase Behavior of Dietary Supplements: Integration of the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Protection Motivation Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-17, November.
    14. Willian Sierra-Barón & Pablo Olivos-Jara & Andrés Gómez-Acosta & Oscar Navarro, 2023. "Environmental Identity, Connectedness with Nature, and Well-Being as Predictors of Pro-Environmental Behavior, and Their Comparison between Inhabitants of Rural and Urban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-14, March.
    15. Septianto, Felix & Kemper, Joya A. & Chiew, Tung Moi, 2020. "The interactive effects of emotions and numerical information in increasing consumer support to conservation efforts," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 445-455.
    16. Tosi, Marco & van den Broek, Thijs, 2020. "Gray divorce and mental health in the United Kingdom," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    17. Adrienne R. Brown & Lawrence C. Hamilton, 2021. "Interaction effects on support for climate‐change mitigation," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 102(6), pages 2649-2660, November.
    18. Ann Bostrom & Adam L. Hayes & Katherine M. Crosman, 2019. "Efficacy, Action, and Support for Reducing Climate Change Risks," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(4), pages 805-828, April.
    19. Ana Andries & Stephen Morse & Richard J. Murphy & Emma R. Woolliams, 2023. "Examining Adaptation and Resilience Frameworks: Data Quality’s Role in Supporting Climate Efforts," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-20, September.
    20. Cousse, Julia & Trutnevyte, Evelina & Hahnel, Ulf J.J., 2021. "Tell me how you feel about geothermal energy: Affect as a revealing factor of the role of seismic risk on public acceptance," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:20:p:13575-:d:947677. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.