{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,27]],"date-time":"2026-03-27T03:22:02Z","timestamp":1774581722769,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,25]],"date-time":"2020-09-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1600992000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Behavioral Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy can cause neurological manifestations such as microcephaly. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of ZIKV and mental health in women exposed to ZIKV during pregnancy in Colombia. This was a mixed-methods study based on structured interviews and psychological tests. Structured interviews were transcribed and analysed with Atlas Ti software. A grounded theory approach was applied. Quantitative analysis was performed with Statistical Package for Social Science, SPSS, V. 20. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Universidad de C\u00f3rdoba, Monter\u00eda. Seventeen women participated in the study; nine of them were mothers of children with microcephaly. Maternal age ranged from 16 to 41 years old. The main themes discussed during interviews were: feelings, support, sources of information, and consequences on children\u2019s health. Women with children affected by microcephaly showed worse mental health compared to women with normocephalic children. Maternal mental health worsened after 24 months from giving birth. Perceptions regarding disease severity and lack of knowledge were considered to affect maternal mental health. Social support and spirituality were key determinants for caregivers. Future research is needed to further study coping mechanisms and mental health outcomes over time by affected populations.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/bs10100147","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,25]],"date-time":"2020-09-25T08:57:32Z","timestamp":1601024252000},"page":"147","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Perceptions and Emotional State of Mothers of Children with and without Microcephaly after the Zika Virus Epidemic in Rural Caribbean Colombia"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6568-1316","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Kelly","family":"Romero-Acosta","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Humanities and Education, Corporaci\u00f3n Universitaria del Caribe CECAR, Sincelejo 700001, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9715-0595","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elena","family":"Marb\u00e1n-Castro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Maternal, Child, and Reproductive health, ISGlobal, Hospital Cl\u00ednic-Universitat de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3171-0702","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Katy","family":"Arroyo-Alvis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Humanities and Education, Corporaci\u00f3n Universitaria del Caribe CECAR, Sincelejo 700001, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Germ\u00e1n","family":"Arrieta","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Humanities and Education, Corporaci\u00f3n Universitaria del Caribe CECAR, Sincelejo 700001, Colombia"},{"name":"Clinica Salud Social SAS, Sincelejo 700002, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Salim","family":"Mattar","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Instituto de Investigaciones Biol\u00f3gicas del Tr\u00f3pico, Universidad de C\u00f3rdoba, Monter\u00eda 230002, Colombia"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,9,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"134","DOI":"10.1016\/S2352-4642(17)30021-4","article-title":"Arboviruses and pregnancy: Maternal, fetal, and neonatal effects","volume":"1","author":"Charlier","year":"2017","journal-title":"Lancet Child Adolescent Health"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e00069018","DOI":"10.1590\/0102-311x00069018","article-title":"The microcephaly epidemic and Zika virus: Building knowledge in epidemiology. 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