Table 6 Direct, indirect and total effects of variables associated with WHODAS total score and the cognition domain among postpartum women, Northwest Ethiopia, 2021

Variable’s pathway

WHODAS 2.0 domains at each follow up period

T1 WHODAS total score

T2 WHODAS total score

T3 WHODAS total score

Direct effect

Indirect effect

Total effect

Direct effect

Indirect effect

Total effect

Direct effect

Indirect effect

Total effect

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

Fear of birth

0.11(0.01) ^a

No path

0.11(0.01) ^a

0.08(0.01) ^a

No path

0.08(0.01) ^a

0.08(0.01) ^a

No path

0.08(0.01) ^a

Mode of delivery SVD

1.78 (0.55) ^b

0.69(0.17) ^a

2.46(0.56) ^a

Not significant

0.52(0.14) ^a

1.06(0.48) ^b

Not significant

0.53(0.14) ^a

Not significant

Anxiety score

0.30(0.09) ^a

0.84(0.08) ^a

1.11(0.06) ^a

0.43(0.08) ^a

0.73(0.07) ^a

1.16(0.05) ^a

0.50(0.08) ^a

0.61(0.07) ^a

1.10(0.05) ^a

PTSD score

0.46(0.05) ^a

No path

0.54(0.05) ^a

0.41(0.04) ^a

No path

0.47(0.04) ^a

0.34(0.04) ^a

No path

0.40(0.04) ^a

Social support

-2.14(0.20) ^a

-0.33(0.06) ^a

-2.47(0.20) ^a

-1.09(0.17) ^a

-0.23(0.05) ^a

-1.32(0.17) ^a

-0.90(0.17) ^a

-0.23(0.05) ^a

-1.13(0.17) ^a

Delivery Mgt complicationYes

6.67(1.02) ^a

1.412(0.36) ^a

8.08(1.06) ^a

2.77(0.88) ^b

0.77(0.27) ^b

3.54(0.89) ^a

Not significant

Not significant

Not significant

Health risk Yes

4.19(1.09) ^a

Not significant

4.33(1.12) ^a

Not significant

Not significant

3.09(0.84) ^a

Not significant

Not significant

Not significant

Variable’s pathway

WHODAS 2.0 domains at each follow up period

T1 cognition domain

T2 cognition domain

T3 cognition domain

Direct effect

Indirect effect

Total effect

Direct effect

Indirect effect

Total effect

Direct effect

Indirect effect

Total effect

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

β (SE)

Fear of birth

0.02(0.004) ^a

No path

0.02(0.004) ^a

0.01(0.004) ^a

No path

0.01(0.004) ^a

0.01(0.003) ^b

No path

0.01(0.003) ^b

Mental quality of life score

-0.04(0.01) ^a

-0.01(0.002) ^b

-0.04(0.01) ^a

-0.03(0.01) ^a

Not significant

-0.03(0.01) ^a

-0.03(0.01) ^a

Not significant

-0.03(0.01) ^a

Anxiety score

0.10(0.03) ^a

0.26(0.02) ^a

0.35(0.02) ^b

0.13(0.02) ^a

0.2(0.02) ^a

0.35(0.01) ^a

0.16(0.02) ^a

0.16(0.02) ^a

0.31(0.01) ^a

PTSD score

0.15(0.01) ^a

No path

0.17(0.02) ^a

0.13(0.01) ^a

No path

0.14(0.01) ^a

0.09(0.01) ^a

No path

0.10(0.01) ^a

Social support

-0.54(0.05) ^a

-0.07(0.02) ^a

-0.61(0.05) ^a

-0.26(0.05) ^a

-0.03(0.01) ^b

-0.29(0.04) ^a

-0.24(0.04) ^a

-0.03(0.01) ^b

-0.27(0.04) ^a

Primary & above education

Yes

-0.24(0.08) ^b

No path

-0.23(0.08) ^b

-0.20(0.07) ^b

No path

-0.19(0.07) ^b

-0.15(0.07) ^b

No path

-0.15(0.07) ^b

Delivery Mgt complication

Yes

1.52(0.28) ^a

No path

1.72(0.27) ^a

0.81(0.25) ^a

No path

0.90(0.25) ^a

0.66(0.25) ^b

No path

0.74(0.25) ^b