Prevalence, correlates and help-seeking behaviour for depressive symptoms in rural Uganda: a population-based survey
Background.Depression is a common disorder characterized by delayed help-seeking, often remaining undetected and untreated.Objectives.We sought to estimate the proportion of adults in Kamuli District with depressive symptoms and to assess their help-seeking behaviour.Methods.This was a population-ba...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425119000256/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811156116796604416 |
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| author | J. Ssebunnya G. Medhin S. Kangere F. Kigozi J. Nakku C. Lund |
| author_facet | J. Ssebunnya G. Medhin S. Kangere F. Kigozi J. Nakku C. Lund |
| author_sort | J. Ssebunnya |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background.Depression is a common disorder characterized by delayed help-seeking, often remaining undetected and untreated.Objectives.We sought to estimate the proportion of adults in Kamuli District with depressive symptoms and to assess their help-seeking behaviour.Methods.This was a population-based cross-sectional study conducted in a rural district in Uganda. Sampling of study participants was done using the probability proportional to size method. Screening for depression was done using Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The participants who screened positive also reported on whether and where they had sought treatment. Data collected using PHQ-9 was used both as a symptom-based description of depression and algorithm diagnosis of major depression. All data analysis was done using STATA version 13.Results.With a cut-off score of ⩾10, 6.4% screened positive for current depressive symptoms and 23.6% reported experiencing depressive symptoms in the past 12 months. The majority of individuals who screened positive for current depression (75.6%) were females. In a crude analysis, people with lower education, middle age and low socio-economic status were more likely to have depressive symptoms. Help-seeking was low, with only 18.9% of the individuals who screened positive for current depression having sought treatment from a health worker.Conclusion.Depressive symptoms are common in the study district with low levels of help-seeking practices. People with lower levels of education, low socio-economic status and those in middle age are more likely to be affected by these symptoms. Most persons with current depression had past history of depressive symptoms. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:46:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c08223abfbf45a9977513ffbda2a962 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-4251 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:46:12Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c08223abfbf45a9977513ffbda2a9622023-03-09T12:35:36ZengCambridge University PressCambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health2054-42512019-01-01610.1017/gmh.2019.25Prevalence, correlates and help-seeking behaviour for depressive symptoms in rural Uganda: a population-based surveyJ. Ssebunnya0G. Medhin1S. Kangere2F. Kigozi3J. Nakku4C. Lund5Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, UgandaAklilu Lemma Institute of Pathobiology, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, EthiopiaMakerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, UgandaMakerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, UgandaButabika National Mental Hospital, Kampala, UgandaDepartment of Psychiatry and Mental Health, Alan J Flisher Centre for Public Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa Health Service and Population Research Department, Centre for Global Mental Health, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UKBackground.Depression is a common disorder characterized by delayed help-seeking, often remaining undetected and untreated.Objectives.We sought to estimate the proportion of adults in Kamuli District with depressive symptoms and to assess their help-seeking behaviour.Methods.This was a population-based cross-sectional study conducted in a rural district in Uganda. Sampling of study participants was done using the probability proportional to size method. Screening for depression was done using Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The participants who screened positive also reported on whether and where they had sought treatment. Data collected using PHQ-9 was used both as a symptom-based description of depression and algorithm diagnosis of major depression. All data analysis was done using STATA version 13.Results.With a cut-off score of ⩾10, 6.4% screened positive for current depressive symptoms and 23.6% reported experiencing depressive symptoms in the past 12 months. The majority of individuals who screened positive for current depression (75.6%) were females. In a crude analysis, people with lower education, middle age and low socio-economic status were more likely to have depressive symptoms. Help-seeking was low, with only 18.9% of the individuals who screened positive for current depression having sought treatment from a health worker.Conclusion.Depressive symptoms are common in the study district with low levels of help-seeking practices. People with lower levels of education, low socio-economic status and those in middle age are more likely to be affected by these symptoms. Most persons with current depression had past history of depressive symptoms.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425119000256/type/journal_articleCommunitydepressionhelp-seekingPHQ-9 |
| spellingShingle | J. Ssebunnya G. Medhin S. Kangere F. Kigozi J. Nakku C. Lund Prevalence, correlates and help-seeking behaviour for depressive symptoms in rural Uganda: a population-based survey Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health Community depression help-seeking PHQ-9 |
| title | Prevalence, correlates and help-seeking behaviour for depressive symptoms in rural Uganda: a population-based survey |
| title_full | Prevalence, correlates and help-seeking behaviour for depressive symptoms in rural Uganda: a population-based survey |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence, correlates and help-seeking behaviour for depressive symptoms in rural Uganda: a population-based survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence, correlates and help-seeking behaviour for depressive symptoms in rural Uganda: a population-based survey |
| title_short | Prevalence, correlates and help-seeking behaviour for depressive symptoms in rural Uganda: a population-based survey |
| title_sort | prevalence correlates and help seeking behaviour for depressive symptoms in rural uganda a population based survey |
| topic | Community depression help-seeking PHQ-9 |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2054425119000256/type/journal_article |
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