Journal of Health & Medical Informatics

Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders and Factors Associated with These Disorders among Pregnant Women Attend Ante Natal Care Services at Hawassa Referral Hospital, Ethiopia, 2016

Abstract

Yacob Abraham, Zewede Olitaye, Tamiyalew Alemie, Bereket Tsegaye and Eniyew Andualem

Background: Common mental disorder such as depression, somatoform disorder and anxiety are increasingly recognized for their burden in low resource countries such as Ethiopia. However, the magnitude of antenatal common mental disorder in Ethiopia is not well established. Pregnancy is generally assumed to be a happy time, both for parents and society as a whole. But pregnancy can be a difficult and even a dangerous period for women living in low and middle income countries.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of common mental disorders and identify factors associated with these disorders among pregnant women attend ante natal care services at Hawassa referral hospital, Ethiopia, 2016.

Methodology: A cross-sectional study was employed among 232 pregnant women, from April 01-May 15. Systematic sampling technique was employed to select the study population. The self-reporting questionnaires (SRQ- 20) were used to detect common mental disorders. Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS) version 20 was used in the statistical analysis.

Results: The prevalence of common mental disorder was high. Poor health status before pregnancy like, minor health problems (headache) (AOR, 95% CI 2(1.06-3.77), ongoing health concern (diabetes mellitus) (AOR, 95% CI 2.83(1.21-6.66), and serious health problem like hypertension (AOR, 95% CI 4.17(1.24-13.98) were all independently associated with common mental disorder among pregnant women.

Conclusion: The prevalence of common mental disorder among pregnant women who attended antenatal care follow up at HURH was higher and previous history of health problem before current pregnancy was significantly associated with common mental disorder. Therefore health care providers responsible for ANC must be trained about the relevance and detection of CMD during pregnancy and proper counseling and emotional support should be given for women exhibiting the risk factors.

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