Prevalence of common mental disorder and associated factors among pregnant women in South-East Ethiopia, 2017: a community based cross-sectional study

Common mental disorders and associated factors among mothers of children attending severe acute malnutrition treatment in Gedio Zone, Southern Ethiopia, 2022: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Common mental disorders describe the physical, mental, and social disturbances that are more prevalent in low and middle-income countries. Mothers are among the more vulnerable groups especially mothers having children with under-nutrition. However, there are limited studies about the magnitude of common mental disorders among mothers of undernourished children in Ethiopia. Therefore, we aimed to assess the magnitude of common mental disorders and associated factors among mothers of children attending severe acute malnutrition treatment in Gedio Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was employed on 405 systematically selected participants. The outcome variable was assessed by a self-reporting questionnaire (SRQ-20) which was applicable and validated in Ethiopia. Data were entered and analyzed by EPi data version 5 software and SPSS version 25 respectively. Model fitness was checked by Hosmer Lemeshow's test. Logistic regression was employed to identify significant determinants. A p-value < 0.05 was used to declare association and expressed by odds ratio with a 95% CI.

RESULT

In this study, the magnitude of common mental disorders was 33.16% (95% CI [28.5-38])). In multivariable analysis, six factors poor social support [AOR: 14.0, 95% CI (5.45, 35.9)], educational status [AOR: 1.95, 95% CI (1.07. 3.55)], cigarette smoking [AOR: 10.9, 95% CI (1.78, 67.01)], mother of a child with another chronic disease [AOR: 3.19, 95% CI (1.13, 8.99)], sexual violence [AOR: 4.14, 95% CI (1.38, 12.4)] and mothers with chronic disease [AOR: 3.44, 95% CI (1.72, 6.86)] were significantly associated with common mental disorders.

CONCLUSION

The magnitude of common mental disorders was high. Six factors were significantly associated with common mental disorders; social support, sexual violence, maternal chronic illness, educational status, smoking, and mother of child with other chronic disease. Community awareness regarding the effect of violence, substance use, and social support on mental health should be created by the local stakeholders.

The effect of common mental disorders on suicidal attempts by women, during pregnancy and six to nine years after birth

There is scarcity of global data on suicide attempts (SA). The higher frequency of mental disorders places women at a higher risk for SA. Mental disorders (MD) are ranked first in the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) in terms of years lived with disability (YLD) and common mental disorders (CMD) affect women the most. IN this light, the present study aimed to investigate the impact of CMD during pregnancy, as well as 6 to 9 years after birth, on SA in women who were registered in the Family Health Strategy from the town of Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil. This study consisted of two stages of a prospective cohort. 643 adult women were included. The prevalence of CMD in stage I (pregnancy) and in stage III (six to nine years after birth) were, respectively, 19.3% and 12.6%. The incidence of SA was 10.9%. The multivariate analysis demonstrated a cumulative effect of CMD for SA: only during pregnancy (OR 5.4; 95%CI 2.2-13.3); only in the third stage (OR 5.8; 95%CI 2.3-14.9); and in both stages (OR 6.0; 95%CI 2.5-14.4). The increase of CMD in women increases the chances of SA, hence the importance of implementing public policies for women's health, especially for those with a history of mental disorders and unhealthy habits, and those who suffer violence.

Influence of perinatal distress on adverse birth outcomes: A prospective study in the Tigray region, northern Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

In low-income countries, where socioeconomic adversities and perinatal distress are common, adverse birth outcomes are significant public health problems. In these settings, perinatal distress, i.e., high symptoms of anxiety, depression, and/or stress during pregnancy, may be linked with adverse birth outcomes. However, few prospective studies have investigated the impact of perinatal distress on adverse birth outcomes such as preterm birth (gestational age <37 weeks), low birth weight (<2.5 kg), and small for gestational age birth (birth weight below the 10th percentile for gestational age and sex).

OBJECTIVES

Our main objective was to assess the influence of perinatal distress on adverse birth outcomes. Secondly, to investigate if perinatal distress is an independent risk factor or a mediator in the pathway between socioeconomic adversity and adverse birth outcomes.

METHODS

In a prospective cohort study following 991 women from before 20 weeks of gestation until delivery in northern Ethiopia, we collected self-reported data on distress at a mean of 14.8 (standard deviation [SD] = 1.9) and 33.9 (SD = 1.1) weeks of gestation. Distress was measured using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale. To determine birth outcomes, gestational age was estimated from the last menstrual period, fundal palpation, and/or ultrasound, while birth weight was obtained from delivery records and measured within three days after birth for those delivered at home. Logistic regression and mediation analysis were employed to evaluate the impact of perinatal distress on adverse birth outcomes.

RESULTS

Perinatal anxiety (OR [95% CI] 1.08 [1.02, 1.13]), depression (1.07 [1.03, 1.11]), stress (1.14 [1.07, 1.22]), and total distress (1.15 [1.07, 1.23]) were all associated with low birth weight, and small for gestational age birth but none did with preterm birth. Mediation analysis demonstrated that perinatal distress was a mediator in the pathway between socioeconomic adversity and adverse birth outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Our study revealed that perinatal distress was linked with adverse birth outcomes and acted as a mediator between socioeconomic adversity and these outcomes. Our findings highlight the importance of screening women for distress and providing appropriate interventions, focusing on women experiencing socioeconomic adversity. Integrating mental health services into primary maternal care in low-income countries could be an effective approach to achieve this.

Using the WHO Self-Reporting Questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20) to Detect Symptoms of Common Mental Disorders among Pregnant Women in Vietnam: a Validation Study

Purpose

Detection of antenatal common mental disorders in low-resource settings like Vietnam is important and requires a reliable, valid and practical screening tool. Currently, there is no such tool validated for use among pregnant women in Vietnam. This study aims to assess the validity of the Vietnamese version of the 20-item Self Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) by evaluating its reliability, factorial structure, and performance in detecting common mental disorder (CMD) symptoms, thereby identifying the optimum cut-off score for CMD screening among pregnant women in Vietnam.

Participants and Methods

A total of 210 pregnant women from four rural communes participated in a face-to-face interview using the Vietnamese version of the SRQ-20, followed by a clinical diagnostic interview based on ICD-10 diagnostic criteria of CMDs. The reliability of the SRQ-20 was assessed by calculating the scale's Cronbach's alpha to measure internal consistency. Factor analyses were undertaken to examine the factor structure of the instrument. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to assess the performance of the SRQ-20 against the clinical diagnosis and to identify the optimum cut-off score.

Results

Internal consistency was good, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.87. Factor analyses resulted in a 4-factor solution. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for detection of CMDs was 0.90. The optimum cut-off score of the SRQ-20 for detection of CMD symptoms among Vietnamese pregnant women was 5/6.

Conclusion

The Vietnamese version of the SRQ-20 has the capacity to detect CMDs among pregnant women effectively and is recommended for use as a screening tool for CMDs in antenatal care settings in Vietnam.

Factors associated with common mental disorders among breastfeeding mothers in tertiary hospital nurseries in Nigeria

BACKGROUND

Several studies have shown that the impact of maternal mental health disorders on newborns' well-being in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) are underreported, multi-dimensional and varies over time and differs from what is reported in high-income countries. We present the prevalence and risk factors associated with common mental disorders (CMDs) among breastfeeding mothers whose infants were admitted to Nigerian tertiary care facilities.

METHODS

This was a national cross-sectional study involving mothers of hospitalised babies from eleven Nigerian tertiary hospitals. We used the WHO self-reporting Questionnaire 20 and an adapted WHO/UNICEF ten-step breastfeeding support package to assess mothers' mental health and breastfeeding support.

RESULTS

Only 895 of the 1,120 mothers recruited from eleven tertiary healthcare nurseries in six geopolitical zones of Nigeria had complete datasets for analysis. The participants' mean age was 29.9 ± 6.2 years. One in four had CMDs; 24.0% (95% CI: 21.235, 26.937%). The ages of mothers, parity, gestational age at delivery, and length of hospital stay were comparable between mothers with and those without CMDs. Antenatal care at primary healthcare facilities (adjusted odds ratio [aOR:13], primary education [aOR:3.255] living in the south-southern region of the country [aOR 2.207], poor breastfeeding support [aOR:1.467], polygamous family settings [aOR:2.182], and a previous history of mental health disorders [aOR:4.684] were significantly associated with CMDs. In contrast, those from the middle and lower socioeconomic classes were less likely to develop CMDs, with [aOR:0.532] and [aOR:0.493], respectively.

CONCLUSION

In Nigeria, the prevalence of CMDs is relatively high among breastfeeding mothers with infants admitted to a tertiary care facility. Prior history of mental illness, polygamous households, mothers living in the southern region and low or no educational attainment have a greater risk of developing CMDs. This study provides evidence for assessing and tailoring interventions to CMDs among breastfeeding mothers in neonatal nurseries in LMIC.

Undernutrition and associated factors among rural pregnant women in Eastern Ethiopia

Objectives:

Maternal undernutrition is a burning issue in Ethiopia. However, updated evidence is limited in the eastern part of the country; particularly the mental health-related factors of undernutrition. The study, hence, aimed at assessing the prevalence and predictors of undernutrition among rural pregnant women in eastern Ethiopia.

Methods:

A cross-sectional research was carried out at a community level among 1015 randomly selected pregnant women. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data through face-to-face interviews. The characteristics of participants were described and summarized by frequencies, percentages, and summary measures. Logistic regression was performed to find out factors related to undernutrition.

Results:

The prevalence of undernutrition was 43.8% (95% confidence interval: 40.8, 47.0). Early marriage (adjusted odds ratio = 2.63, confidence interval: 2.00, 3.47), no antenatal care follow-up (adjusted odds ratio = 1.73, 95% confidence interval: 1.31, 2.29), inadequately diversified diet (adjusted odds ratio = 2.48, 95% confidence interval: 1.77, 3.48), current substance use (adjusted odds ratio = 1.50, 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 2.19), history of mental illness (adjusted odds ratio = 2.44, 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 5.82), and common mental disorders (adjusted odds ratio = 1.81, 95% confidence interval: 1.34, 2.43) were the significant predictors of undernutrition among pregnant women.

Conclusions:

Undernutrition was a significant public health issue among rural pregnant women. Age at first marriage, antenatal care follow-up, dietary diversity, current substance use, history of mental illness, and common mental disorder were the independent predictors of undernutrition. Therefore, the health offices of Kersa and Haramaya districts should invest their efforts to prevent undernutrition among pregnant women through nutrition counselling and education, and mental health and psychosocial support.

Intimate partner violence during pregnancy and maternal and child health outcomes: a scoping review of the literature from low-and-middle income countries from 2016 - 2021

Background

Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy is significantly associated with negative outcomes for both mother and child. Current evidence indicates an association between low levels of social support and IPV, however there is less evidence from low-and-middle income countries (LMIC) than high-income countries. Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic has radically altered how women can access social support. Hence since 2020, studies investigating IPV and pregnancy have occurred within the changing social context of the pandemic.

Objective

This scoping review summarizes the evidence from LMICs about the effects of IPV during pregnancy on maternal and child health. The review includes the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on social support as mentioned in studies conducted since 2020.

Design

Library databases were used to identify papers from 2016 to 2021. These studies reported the maternal and child health outcomes of IPV during pregnancy, and described how social support during pregnancy, and the COVID-19 pandemic, were associated with rates of IPV during pregnancy. Observational study designs, qualitative and mixed methods studies were included.

Results

Twenty - six studies from 13 LMICs were included. Half (n = 13) were cross sectional studies which only collected data at one time-point. IPV during pregnancy was significantly associated with higher odds of postpartum depression, low birth weight, preterm birth and less breastfeeding in the year after birth. Lower levels of social support increased the odds of experiencing IPV during pregnancy, whilst higher levels of social support reduced antenatal anxiety and depression in women experiencing IPV during pregnancy. Of the four studies that investigated IPV during pregnancy throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, only one compared prevalence before and after the pandemic and unexpectedly reported a lower prevalence.

Conclusions

Further research on the impact of IPV during pregnancy on maternal and child outcomes in LMICs is required, especially evidence from longitudinal studies investigating a wider range of outcomes. To date, there is limited evidence on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on IPV during pregnancy in LMICs, and this should be prioritized as the pandemic continues to affect women’s access to social support globally.

Supplementary information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12884-022-04604-3.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Common Mental Disorders Among Pregnant Mothers in Rural Eastern Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Antenatal common mental disorder is a significant public health issue, especially in low- and middle-income countries with an extensive treatment gap. Common mental disorders have multifaceted implications on maternal and fetal health outcomes during pregnancy with long-running economic and social sequels. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of common mental disorder and associated factors among pregnant mothers in eastern Ethiopia, Kersa and Haramaya Health, and Demographic surveillance sites.

METHODS

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Kersa and Haramaya health and demographic surveillance sites from January 30 to April 30, 2021. World Health Organization Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) was used to measure common mental disorder among 1,015 randomly selected pregnant women. Data were collected face-to-face using open data kit software. Logistic regression was fitted to identify factors associated with common mental disorders.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of common mental disorders (SRQ > 6) among pregnant women was 37.5% (95% CI: 34.5, 40.5). Current substance use (AOR = 1.99, 95% CI 1.37, 2.88), intimate partner violence (AOR = 2.67, 95% CI 2.02, 3.53), null parity (AOR = 3.10, 95% CI 1.65, 5.84), gestational age [first trimester (AOR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.01, 4.93) and third trimester (AOR = 1.74, 95% CI 1.31, 2.31)], history of abortion (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI 1.27, 3.24), and absence of antenatal care follow-up (AOR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.08, 1.89) were significantly associated with common mental disorder during pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

Common mental disorders are prevalent among pregnant women in the study area with significant correlates. Administration of regular screening programs for maternal mental health conditions in rural, low-income communities, integrating into primary health care settings is imperative to reduce the risk.

Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders among pregnant women-Evidence from population-based study in rural Haryana, India

Background:

Mental disorders during pregnancy is one of the major public health problem because of its effect on both mother and child.

Objectives:

The objective of the study was to assess the burden of common mental disorders (CMDs) among pregnant women in rural Haryana, North India.

Methods:

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 28 villages of rural Haryana in 2016. Pregnant women in the study area with period of gestation 25–34 weeks were enrolled and assessed for presence of CMDs in two phases. Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders—Patient Health Questionnaire was used for screening and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) for diagnosis of CMDs.

Results:

A total of 457 pregnant women were included in the study. Mean age of pregnant women was 23.9 years (SD- 3.9). Prevalence of CMDs was 15.3% (95% CI, 12.0–18.6). Of these, major depression was 2.8% (95% CI, 1.4– 4.4), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder was 15.1% (95% CI, 11.8–18.4) as per MINI. On multivariate analysis, no statistically significant association was found between CMDs during pregnancy with any obstetric, sociodemographic determinants, and child health outcomes.

Conclusion:

High prevalence of CMDs, especially anxiety, observed among pregnant women in rural area necessitates the need for integration of screening of CMDs during routine antenatal care in India.

Comorbid anxiety and depression: Prevalence and associated factors among pregnant women in Arba Minch zuria district, Gamo zone, southern Ethiopia

Introduction

Prenatal anxiety and depression are major health problems all over the world. The negative sequela of prenatal comorbid anxiety and depression (CAD) has been suggested to be higher than that of anxiety or depression alone. CAD increases the odds of preterm birth, low birth weight, prolonged labor, operative deliveries, postpartum psychiatric disorders and long term cognitive impairment for the newborn. Despite its significant ill consequences, there is a dearth of studies in low-and middle-income countries. So far, to the best of our knowledge, no study assessed the prevalence of CAD in Ethiopia. Hence, the purpose of this study was to assess CAD and associated factors among pregnant women in Arba Minch Zuria district, Gamo zone, southern Ethiopia.

Methods

A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 676 pregnant women from January 01 to November 30, 2019. Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7) scales were used to assess depression and anxiety respectively. The data were collected electronically using an open data kit (ODK) collect android application and analyzed using Stata version 15.0. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were carried out to identify factors associated with CAD using binary logistic regression. Statistical significance was set at p-value < 0.05.

Results

A total of 667 women were involved. The prevalence of CAD was 10.04% [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.76, 12.33]. Being married [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.16, 95% CI: 0.05, 0.56], categorized in the highest wealth quintile [AOR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.17, 6.84], having medical illness [AOR: 3.56, 95% CI: 1.68, 7.54], encountering pregnancy danger signs [AOR: 2.66, 95% CI: 1.06, 6.67], experiencing life-threatening events [AOR: 2.11, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.92] and household food insecurity [AOR: 3.51, 95% CI: 1.85, 6.64] were significantly associated with CAD.

Conclusions

In general, one in every ten women faced CAD in the study area. Nutritional interventions, early identification and treatment of pregnancy-related illness and medical ailments, prenatal mental health problems screening and interventions are imperative to minimize the risk of CAD in pregnant women.

Risk factors and experiences of prepartum depression in urban- low-income settlement Nairobi Kenya: a mixed-method study

Background: Prepartum depression is common among pregnant women and has not been studied much in low and middle-income countries. Evidence shows that mental illnesses are prevalent in urban than in rural areas. The study objective was to determine the magnitude of prepartum depression, risk factors, and real-life experiences of depression among pregnant women.

Method: A mixed-method cross-sectional study was conducted. It included 262 pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in two public health facilities in urban low-income settlement Nairobi, Kenya. Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) with cut-off >13 was used to classify clinical depressive illness. Further, a focus group discussion was conducted with 20 women identified with depression. Univariable analysis with Odd's Ratio was used to test associations. Variables with a p<0.05 in multivariable regression were considered significant.

Result: Out of the 262 women, 33.6% were found to have clinical depression as indicated by EPDS score of >13. Women's gestational age was statistically significantly associated with prepartum depression [OR 4.27 (95% C.I. 2.08 - 8.79),  p<0.001]. Income level ≤ 5000 KES was statistically significantly associated with prepartum depression [OR 3.64 (95% C.I.1.25 -10.60), p=0.018]. Further, thematic analysis of qualitative indicated that poverty, lack of social support, domestic violence, and unfriendly health care were major contributors to prepartum depression.

Conclusion: Significant numbers of pregnant women were found to experience depression. This prevalence rate indicates a high disease burden of women who live with depression, which is not diagnosed because screening of depression is not done in primary health care centers. This study calls for a need and consideration for screening for perinatal depression in primary health care facilities, mainly in resource-poor areas. Interventions targeting means of resolving conflicts in families are highly needed. Such steps would help achieve key sustainable development goals where maternal and child health remains key priority.