The 11-year functional outcome of bipolar and major depressive disorders in Butajira, Ethiopia

Functional Disability in Patients with Mood Disorders at St Paul's Hospital Psychiatry Clinic, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 2019

Background

Functional disability is defined as limitations in performing socially defined roles and tasks expected within a sociocultural and physical environment. Functionality is a result of good mental health care. This study aimed to assess the magnitude and determinants of functional disability among patients with a mood disorders treated at St Paul's Hospital outpatient psychiatry clinic, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2019.

Methods

This was a cross-sectional study. We used consecutive sampling to select respondents. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the 12-item World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule version 2.0. Data were entered into EpiData 3.1 and exported to SPSS 22.0 for analysis. Linear regression analysis was used to identify significant variables associated with outcomes.

Results

This study enrolled 235 respondents with a 100% nonresponse rate, and 62.5% were diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Mean disability score was 30.2%±32.4%. Nearly a quarter of respondents had had difficulties every day with day-to-day activity for the past 30 days. Current level of improvement (no change, β=10.5, 95% CI 3.85-17.2), relapse (β=6.15, 95% CI 1.34-10.9) and self-stigma (β=4.36, 95% CI 1.39-7.33) were strong predictors of disability score (P<0.05).

Conclusion

This study found a mean disability score of 30.2%. Current level of improvement and self-stigma were variables associated with disability, so working with stakeholders to focus on patients' clinical improvement from their illness and self-stigma will be vital to enhance their functionality.

Pharmacotherapeutic interventions for bipolar disorder type II: addressing multiple symptoms and approaches with a particular emphasis on strategies in lower and middle-income countries

Introduction: Appropriately managing mental disorders is a growing priority across countries in view of the impact on morbidity and mortality. This includes patients with bipolar disorders (BD). Management of BD is a concern as this is a complex disease with often misdiagnosis, which is a major issue in lower and middle-income countries (LMICs) with typically a limited number of trained personnel and resources. This needs to be addressed.Areas covered: Medicines are the cornerstone of managing patients with Bipolar II across countries including LMICs. The choice of medicines, especially antipsychotics, is important in LMICs with high rates of diabetes and HIV. However, care is currently compromised in LMICs by issues such as the stigma, cultural beliefs, a limited number of trained professionals and high patient co-payments.Expert opinion: Encouragingly, some LMICs have introduced guidelines for patients with BD; however, this is very variable. Strategies for the future include addressing the lack of national guidelines for patients with BD, improving resources for mental disorders including personnel, improving medicine availability and patients' rights, and monitoring prescribing against agreed guidelines. A number of strategies have been identified to improve the treatment of patients with Bipolar II in LMICs, and will be followed up.