RESUMO
Background: Depression in the elderly is becoming a major public health problem worldwide. It is a major public health problem associated with increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs in low- and middle-income countries, including Ethiopia. However, especially in developing countries, they usually go undetected and untreated. There is little evidence of depressive symptoms among older people in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aims to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors among the elderly population in the Gamo zone of southern Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 840 randomly selected elderly individuals. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to recruit participants. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) screening tool. Data collection was performed through face-to-face interviews. Descriptive statistics were initially computed. Subsequently, logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify independent factors associated with the outcome variable. Result: The finding of the study showed that the prevalence of depressive symptoms among older people living in the Gamo zone was 424(50.48%) (95% CI=47.09-53.86). Age 70-74 years [AOR=2.81, 95% CI 1.64-4.81], 75 years and above [AOR=5.09, 95% CI 3.00-8.64], age 65-69 years [AOR=2.43, 95% CI 1.62-3.66]; being widowed [AOR=2.73, 95% CI 1.69-4.42], ever chewing khat [AOR=5.89, 95% CI 1.17-29.53], being poor economic status [AOR=9.35, 95% CI 3.58-24.45], being average economic status [AOR=5.36, 95% CI 2.15-13.37], having 1-2 stressful life events [AOR=5.13, 95% CI 3.35-7.86], having 3 and above stressful life events [AOR=11.02, 95% CI 6.59,18.41], living alone [AOR=2.65, 95% CI 1.43-4.93] and those who lived with children [AOR=3.16, 95% CI 1.70-5.88] were significantly associated with depression. Conclusion: Half of the study participants exhibited depressive symptoms. Urgent interventions are essential to enhance psychological well-being and mitigate the impact of various modifiable risk factors associated with depression symptoms in elderly individuals. This includes increasing social support, particularly for those who have experienced stressful life events, live alone, or have low economic status. Healthcare providers should implement routine screening for depressive symptoms and offer supportive counseling. Policymakers and stakeholders should prioritize improving access to mental health services.
RESUMO
Globally, 53% of women in reproductive age group use modern methods of contraception, with less than one percent of which using implants. In Ethiopia and other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, short-term contraceptive methods have been more utilized than long-acting methods like implants. Despite their effectiveness, implants have been underutilized due to various reasons. There is a dearth of stronger evidences on those factors in the country in general and the study area in particular. Therefore, this study aimed to identify determinants of implant utilization among married women of reproductive age at Chencha town, Gamo Gofa Zone, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia. A community-based case-control study design was conducted among 324 women of reproductive age, 90 cases (users of implants) and 234 controls (users of short-acting contraceptives) from July to August 2017. Data were collected using a pretested, structured questionnaire through face-to-face interview. The data were entered and coded using Epi info 3.5.1 and then exported to Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 for cleaning and analysis. Descriptive analysis was done to quantify proportions, means, and standard deviations of variables. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regressions were done to identify the determinants of implant utilization. A total of 324 married women of reproductive age group were interviewed with response rate of 98%. In this study, the major determinants for implant utilization were desire to have 3-4 children {AOR = 0.104, 95% CI (0.03, 0.4)}, husband disproval {AOR = 0.11, 95% CI (0.038, 0.314)}, joint decision {AOR = 3.11, 95% CI (1.02, 9.48)}, and decision by other persons {AOR = 0.065, 95% CI (0.012, 0.352)}. This study found out that desire to have more children, husband disapproval, joint decision making, and decision by other persons were determinants of implant utilization among the target women. Implant utilization would improve through strengthening existing interventions targeting women with high fertility desire, transformation of gender norms in household decisions, and counseling for informed decisions.