Prevalence and Associated Factors of Depression among General Outpatients in a Tertiary Institution in Kano, North-Western Nigeria

Background: Depression is common psychiatric disorder among general outpatients. Prevalence of depression and associated factors among this population has been studied in some parts of Nigeria. However, few if any were conducted in the most populous geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Materials & Method: This study determines the prevalence of depression and associated factors among general outpatients. It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. 402 of the 410 participants recruited for the study completed the study. Diagnosis of depression was confirmed using SCAN (Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry) ver. 2.1. Severity of depression was rated using HDRS (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale). Result: Two hundred were subsequently diagnosed depressed using SCAN out of 213 who scored HADS cutoff point, given the prevalence of 49.8%. The prevalence of subtypes of depression was: Mild 26.9%, moderate 20.4% and severe 2.5%. A statistically significant association was found between depression and some socio-demographic factors which include age (p = 0.001, X2 = 11.46), gender (p = 0.001, X2 = 20.58)), marital status (p = 0.001, X2 = 11.16), educational status (p = 0.001, X2 = 10.8) and chronic medical conditions (p = 0.001, X2 = 11.77). Depressed outpatient is more likely to be over 40 yrs, female, married, having low level of education and suffering from chronic medical condition(s). However, there was no significant association between depression and employment status, family history of mental illness and substance use in this study. Conclusion: This study found high prevalence of depression among general outpatients. It is associated with age, marital status educational level and chronic medical conditions. General practitioners should lookout for depression especially among patients with the associated socio-demographic factors. Some easy-to-use screening tools like PHQ-2 should be included in the routine assessment of outpatients in Family Medicine departments. Task-sharing strategy as enshrined in mental health gap (mhGAP) document should be implemented to improve detection of depression at primary care level.

Coping Strategies and Depression among Male Inmates of a Nigerian Correctional Facility:A Cross-sectional Study

Background:Researchers have consistently found higher rates of mental illnesses,especially depression,in prison populations compared to the general population.Even though specific coping strategies have been implicated as a factor influencing the mental well-being of inmates,little is known about this interplay in resource-poor settings.This study aimed to investigate the relationship between coping strategies and depression among inmates of a prison in Nigeria.Subjects and Methods:This was a two-stage cross-sectional study involving 269 inmates of Calabar Prison,Nigeria.Participants were administered a sociodemographic questionnaire,the Coping Strategies Inventory-Short Form,and the General Health Questionnaire-12(GHQ-12).Respondents who scored≥3 on the GHQ-12 together with 10%of low scorers proceeded to the second stage for an interview using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview.Results:The prevalence of depression among study participants was 30.5%.Emotion-focused disengagement coping strategies(odds ratio[OR]:1.12,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.05-1.20)and a history of mental illness before imprisonment(OR:3.4,95%CI:1.34-8.57)significantly predicted depression,whereas problem-focused engagement was protective(OR:1.92,95%CI:0.86-0.98).Conclusion:Compared to the general population,depression is more common among prison inmates and is associated with using specific coping strategies.Coping strategies deserve increasing consideration when planning mental health intervention programs for this population.

Prison Types and Inmates’Psychosocial Profiles:A Comparison between Medium and Maximum Security Prison

Studies on the impacts the type of prison’s environment had on the psychosocial well‑being of their inmates were few.To contribute more study on this,the current study explored the psychosocial health profiles of inmates and the type of prison environment by comparing inmates’psychosocial profiles of a medium security prison to a maximum security correctional facility located in north central Nigeria.Participants were male inmates of medium security prison located in Bida,Niger‑State and Jos maximum security facility in Plateau‑State.All the participants filled the study instruments(i.e.,a sociodemographic questionnaire,the ten‑item personality inventory,resilience scale,and Oslo Social Support Scale)after obtaining informed consent from them.There was a significant positive association of prison types with resilience and social support which was reversed for spirituality.The multivariate analysis showed that inmates of medium security prison had significantly higher resilience and social support scores compared to those in maximum security correctional facilities.There was no difference in the five dimensions of personality among the inmates and in their experience of spirituality.The findings add to extant knowledge on the impact that the level of“indigenous”deprivations had on inmates psychosocial wellness factors.The study hence advocated to the department of correctional services to modify the indigenous measures that promote resilience and social support without compromising security.