RESUMO
Background: Self-medication is a treatment based on symptoms without prescription and medical consultation. Despite being one of the critical practices that impose a harmful effect on the fetus and the woman herself, evidence on its practice and associated factors are not well-documented. This study, therefore, assessed the self-medication practice and associated factors among pregnant women in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Methods: An institutionally based cross-sectional study was conducted at public health institutions in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia by recruiting a total of 408 pregnant women using a systematic random sampling technique between March 2019 and April 2019. We used the Antenatal care (ANC) registry as a sampling frame. A pre-tested, structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire used to depict Self-medication practice and associated factors. Data entered using Epi-data and analyzed by SPSS 23.0. Results: The overall prevalence of self-medication was 14.9% (95% CI:11-18). The odds of using self-medication may decreased by 75% for women who were in their third trimester (AOR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.64). However, the odds of practicing increased by 13-folds among pregnant women reported earlier (previous) self-medication experience (AOR = 13.62, 95% CI: 6.66-27.84). Conclusion: The prevalence of self-medication was high in the current study setting. Women's gestational period (third trimester) and earlier self-medication experience were associated with their current self-medication practice.
RESUMO
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way a person eats, sleeps, feels about him or herself and thinks about things. Depression is one of the most common mental disorders affecting 121 million people in the world, and it frequently goes unrecognized among patients. It is estimated that 5%-10% of the population at any given time is suffering from identifiable depression needing psychiatric or psychosocial intervention. An institution-based cross-sectional study design was implemented to determine the magnitude and associated factors of unrecognized depression among patients attending the adult medical outpatient department in Adare Hospital, Hawassa, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region, Ethiopia, among 326 patients selected using systematic random sampling technique. Data were collected using the interviewer-administered technique. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics and other independent variables. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire 9. Data were entered and ana-lyzed using SPSS 20. The level of significance was determined at P<0.05. About 326 patients were interviewed, of whom 186 (57.1%) were males. The mean age of participant was 34 with standard deviation of ±13.1 years. Current substance users accounted for 106 (32.5%) of the total participants. Of 326 respondents, 80 (24.5%) had significant depressive symptoms, while the detection rate of depression by the clinician was 0%. Depression was associated with female sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =1.63 [1.14-2.34]), age >60 years (AOR =4.14 [1.87-9.14]), being divorced (AOR =3.13 [1.70-5.76]), and having an average monthly income <750 ETB (AOR =1.92 [1.119-3.195]). The findings of this study revealed that the prevalence of depression among patients attending general medical outpatient department was highly underrecognized and unmanaged. On the basis of these results, we recommended that health-care providers perform a thorough assessment to address common mental disorders, especially depression, and suggest that training to recognize and manage depression appropriately be given.
