scholarly journals Depression, suicidality and associated risk factors among police officers in urban Tanzania: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. e100448
Author(s):  
Belinda Jackson Njiro ◽  
Harrieth Peter Ndumwa ◽  
Charles Joseph Msenga ◽  
Thomas Kawala ◽  
Ezekiel Matola ◽  
...  

BackgroundThe WHO has classified depression as a disease of public concern. Police officers are a particular subpopulation group that is at an increased risk for mental health problems. This study examined the prevalence of depression, suicidality and associated risk factors among police officers in urban Tanzania.AimsThe aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of depression, suicidality and associated risk factors among police officers in Tanzania.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2019 and October 2020 among 550 participants in Dar es Salaam recruited using a multistage cluster sampling technique. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 was used to screen for depression and suicidality. The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-12 tool was used to measure perceived social support. Descriptive statistics were summarised using frequencies and percentages. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to establish associations between predictors of interest, depression and suicidality.ResultsThere were 497 participants in the study. Of these, 76.6% (376 of 491) were men, and the median (IQR) age was 37.0 (17) years. Around 19.8% (96 of 486) of the police officers screened positive for depression and 15.4% (75 of 413) for suicidality. A significant proportion was either moderately (29 of 96, 30.2%) or severely depressed (8 of 75, 10.7 %). Of those who experienced suicidal thoughts, 10.7% (8 of 75) reported having daily suicidal thoughts. Perceiving low social support was associated with an increased risk of reporting depression (adjusted OR (aOR): 28.04, 95% CI: 8.42 to 93.37, p<0.001) and suicidality (aOR: 10.85, 95% CI: 3.56 to 33.08, p<0.001) as compared with those with high perceived social support.ConclusionThe magnitude of depression and suicidality among police officers in urban Tanzania is alarmingly high. The study findings indicate the need for routine screening for depression and suicidality among police officers and design appropriate mental health responsive services in this population.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chenyang Lin ◽  
Yuxin Tong ◽  
Yaying Bai ◽  
Zixi Zhao ◽  
Wenxiang Quan ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown that COVID-19 increased the prevalence of depression and anxiety among various populations. However, few have explored the mental health issues of Chinese international students in the US and the risk factors involved. OBJECTIVE his study examines the prevalence of anxiety and depression among Chinese international students enrolled in US universities during the COVID-19 pandemic and identifies the risk factors pertaining to changes in lifestyle, social support, sleep quality, and the virtual instruction mode to this student population. METHODS This study was conducted via an online cross-sectional questionnaire distributed through snowball sampling. The questions of the survey included demographic information, self-constructed questions on academic performance, financial concerns, use of social media, exercise, and psychological support, the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for depression (PHQ-9), and the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) for anxiety. Univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to identify the associated risk factors. RESULTS From the 1881 participants, this study found a general prevalence of depression (PHQ-9 score⩾ 5) at 48.6% and that of anxiety (GAD-7⩾ 5) at 43.0% among Chinese international students in the US during the late COVID pandemic period. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that recent traumatic event(s), having friend(s) as tuition source(s), agreeing with and strongly agreeing with the pandemic’s impacts on financial status, a little workload, medium workload, a lot of workload, and higher ISI scores to be a associated with an increased risk of depression, while being a PhD student, more sources of emotional support, and higher SSRI scores were associated a lower risk of depression. Additionally, having friend(s) as tuition source(s), a little workload, often staying up for online courses, strongly agreeing with remote learning’s negative impacts on personal relationships, and higher ISI scores were associated with an increased risk of anxiety, while higher SSRI scores and older ages were associated with a lower risk of anxiety. CONCLUSIONS This study showed a high prevalence of depression and anxiety among Chinese international students in the US. Multiple risk factors pertaining to financial concerns, workload, social support, and sleep quality were identified. It is important for future studies to further investigate this student population and for schools to make adjustments to better accommodate their psychological needs.


GeroPsych ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 61-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lia Oberhauser ◽  
Andreas B. Neubauer ◽  
Eva-Marie Kessler

Abstract. Conflict avoidance increases across the adult lifespan. This cross-sectional study looks at conflict avoidance as part of a mechanism to regulate belongingness needs ( Sheldon, 2011 ). We assumed that older adults perceive more threats to their belongingness when they contemplate their future, and that they preventively react with avoidance coping. We set up a model predicting conflict avoidance that included perceptions of future nonbelonging, termed anticipated loneliness, and other predictors including sociodemographics, indicators of subjective well-being and perceived social support (N = 331, aged 40–87). Anticipated loneliness predicted conflict avoidance above all other predictors and partially mediated the age-association of conflict avoidance. Results suggest that belongingness regulation accounts may deepen our understanding of conflict avoidance in the second half of life.


2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jie Li ◽  
Syeda Zerin Imam ◽  
Zhengyue Jing ◽  
Yi Wang ◽  
Chengchao Zhou

Abstract Background Adolescent pregnancy is a risk factor for suicide. We aimed to assess the prevalence of suicide attempts among young women with adolescent pregnancy in Bangladesh and to explore its associated factors. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we surveyed young women with adolescent pregnancy in urban and rural areas in Bangladesh to assess suicide attempts, socio-demographic and pregnancy-related characteristics, perceived health status, and perceived social support. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between potentially related factors and suicide attempts. Results Of the participants, 6.5% (61/940) reported suicide attempts in the past 12 months, and the majority (88.5%) of the attempts happened within one year after the pregnancy. Participants with more years after first pregnancy (odds ratio (OR) = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.37–0.61) and more perceived social support from friends (OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.55–0.86) were less likely to have suicide attempts, and those perceived bad health status compared with good/fair health status (OR = 8.38, 95% CI: 3.08–22.76) were more likely to attempt suicide. Conclusions Women with adolescent pregnancy were at high risk of suicide attempts, especially those during the first postnatal year. The risk of suicide attempts attenuated with the time after pregnancy, and perceived social support from friends was a protective factor and perceived bad health status was a risk factor for suicide attempts among young women who have experienced adolescent pregnancy.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e043814
Author(s):  
Mesfin Tadese ◽  
Andargachew Kassa ◽  
Abebaw Abeje Muluneh ◽  
Girma Altaye

ObjectivesThe study aimed to provide an association between dysmenorrhoea and academic performance among university students in Ethiopia. Further, the study attempts to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of dysmenorrhoea.Design and methodInstitution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 April to 28 April 2019. A semistructured and pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Binary logistic regression analysis and one-way analysis of variance were performed to model dysmenorrhoea and academic performance, respectively.Setting and participantsEthiopia (2019: n=647 female university students).OutcomesThe primary outcome is dysmenorrhoea, which has been defined as painful menses that prevents normal activity and requires medication. The self-reported cumulative grade point average of students was used as a proxy measure of academic performance, which is the secondary outcome.ResultsThe prevalence of dysmenorrhoea was 317 (51.5%). The educational status of father (adjusted OR (AOR) (95% CI) 2.64 (1.04 to 6.66)), chocolate consumption (AOR (95% CI) 3.39 (95% 1.28 to 8.93)), daily breakfast intake (<5 days/week) (AOR (95% CI) 0.63 (0.42 to 0.95)), irregular menstrual cycle AOR (95% CI) 2.34 (1.55 to 3.54)) and positive family history of dysmenorrhoea AOR (95% CI) 3.29 (2.25 to 4.81)) had statistically significant association with dysmenorrhoea. There was no statistically significant difference in academic performance among students with and without dysmenorrhoea (F (3611)=1.276, p=0.28)).ConclusionsDysmenorrhoea was a common health problem among graduating University students. However, it has no statistically significant impact on academic performance. Reproductive health officers should educate and undermine the negative academic consequences of dysmenorrhoea to reduce the physical and psychological stress that happens to females and their families.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Animen Ayehu ◽  
Yibeltal Aschale ◽  
Wossenseged Lemma ◽  
Animut Alebel ◽  
Ligabaw Worku ◽  
...  

Background. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL, also called kala-azar) is a public health problem in Ethiopia, especially in sesame and sorghum growing areas. Compared to other populations, labor migrants are the most exposed. Knowing the seroprevalence ofLeishmania donovaniand associated risk factors is essential to design appropriate control measures. The main aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of asymptomaticL. donovaniamong laborers and associated risk factors in agricultural camps of West Armachiho district, Northwest Ethiopia. Therefore, this study was conducted to know the seroprevalence and associated risk factors ofL. donovaniinfection.Method. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 185 laborers from October to December 2017. A simple random sampling technique was used to select study participants from selected agricultural camps. After obtaining written informed consent, data were collected using a structured pretested Amharic version questionnaire using the interview technique. A single finger prick blood sample was collected from the study participants and the blood samples were subjected to the serological diagnostic method using the rk39 kit. The multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors associated withL. donovaniinfection.Result. Among 185 participants examined using rk39, 14 (7.6%) were seroreactive forL. donovani.Leishmania donovaniinfection had a statistically significant association with sleeping underBalanitestrees (AOR: 4.36, 95%CI: 1.186-16.06), presence of domestic animals near sleeping place (AOR: 4.68, 95% CI: 1.25-17.56), and lack of knowledge about VL transmission (AOR: 3.79, 95% CI: 1.07-13.47).Conclusion. Seroprevalence of asymptomaticL. donovaniamong laborers in agricultural camps of West Armachiho was low. Prevention measures and health education about risk factors that expose toL. donovaniinfection for the laborers are essential to prevent the spread of the disease.


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