Reviewer’s report
Title: 
Individual, family, and community factors related to loneliness in mothers raising children less than
3 years of age: A cross-sectional study
Version: 
1 
Date: 
21 Feb 2021
Reviewer's report:
Thank you for the opportunity to review this manuscript, I have no COI to disclose. 
The authors present an interesting cross-sectional analysis of mothers where they identify factors
associated with mother's loneliness. The study would be of interest to the readers of BMC Women's
Health. The main issue with the study is that the authors spend a big amount of text on unnecessary details
that should be deleted. 
Few suggestions: 
The abstract could benefit from some shortening in the background and conclusions sections, and some
additions to the results. 
"Limited studies have clarified loneliness and related factors in mothers with infants and toddlers" please
rephrase
Please include more numbers in the abstract results section, instead of just naming relevant factors, please
add numbers and p-values. 
Don't repeat your results in the conclusion. 
Main text:
The background section is 4 pages long. This is completely unacceptable. Please shorten to 1 page max.
No need to include that much useless information in the introduction… Just briefly mention the
background, and include your objectives for this study. 
How did you get to your target sample size of 649? Please elaborate on that in text. 
"These variables were selected based on literature reviews of previous studies" please include the
references to those studies at the end of this sentence. 
The discussion is interesting and well written, however it is also a bit lengthy. I suggest also cutting on
some parts (although not as much and as necessarily as in the introduction): For example, you don't need
to repeat what your study's purpose was in the conclusions… You don't need to spend a full paragraph on
your study's strengths…
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Is the study design appropriate to answer the research question (including the use of appropriate controls),
and are the conclusions supported by the evidence presented?
Yes
Are the methods sufficiently described to allow the study to be repeated?
Yes
Is the use of statistics and treatment of uncertainties appropriate?
Yes
Is the presentation of the work clear?
Yes
Are the images in this manuscript (including electrophoretic gels and blots) free from apparent
manipulation?
Yes