Prevalence of depression and the associated risks factors among adult women in a fishing community.

OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence of depression and its associated risk factors with depression among adult women in a fishing community. METHODS: This study was conducted in Sualehabad, a small community with a population of 5000 of Manora Island in two stages. In first stage door to door survey was conducted and about 1200 women were screened for depression by using Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview by Sheehan which was supplemented by ICD-10 Diagnostic Classification. In order to determine the associated risk factors, 91 controls were selected among the non-depressed women randomly from the same community with the 91 identified cases of depression. In second stage, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to both the cases and controls, which was then subjected to reliability and validity exercises. The total duration of the study was six months. RESULTS: The point prevalence of depressive disorder was 7.5%. Only 13% reported treatment from government facility and 14% reported previous consultation with a psychiatrist. Sixteen percent of women were aware about mental health facility available in the area. Twenty seven percent reported that they got relief from alternative treatment. The characteristics that demonstrated a statistically significant association related to risk factors were increasing age, being married, more than four children in family, illiteracy and financial difficulties at home. There was a significant association observed in reporting social, behavioral and relational factors related to depression by cases as compared to control group. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depressive disorder among adult women of the fishing community was 7.5% which is at a high magnitude keeping in view the prevalence rate of the country and the global estimates. There is a need for more community based studies in order to assess the magnitude of depression which is posing one of the major public health problems.