PREDICTORS OF DEPRESSION AMONG PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ZARIA, NORTHWEST NIGERIA

Abstract

Background: Depression is one of the commonest mental health conditions affecting young people worldwide and is associated with a large illness burden. In the year 2000, depression was ranked as the 4th leading cause of disease burden globally as determined by Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). It is projected that by the year 2020, it will become the 2nd most burdensome condition after cardiovascular diseases. The reported prevalence of clinically significant depression is 2% to 20 % among adolescents. There are a number of factors that are known to be predictors of adolescent depression-like large family size, adolescent drinking, peer problems, poor self-esteem, being a female and depression in parents. The specific objectives were to determine the prevalence of depression among school adolescents, to determine the predictors of depression among this group and to assess the relationship between depression and one risk factor (cyberbullying) and one protective factor (religiosity). Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study of 350 adolescents selected from two secondary schools in Zaria, Northwest Nigeria, through a multi-stage random sampling was carried out. First, a Local Government Area (L.G.A) was randomly selected out of the four in the city. Then 2 private schools were selected from a list of 20 in the LGA. The actual selection of participants was by simple random sampling. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 20 (SPSS 20). Differences in Sociodemographic characteristics between those depressed and those not depressed were examined using the Chi-square test. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the independent predictors of depression. The level of significance was set at 5% for all statistics. Results: The point prevalence of clinically significant depressions was 18.3%. The factors that were found to be independent predictors of depressive symptoms among school adolescents were coming from a polygamous family (p=0.029, AOR=2.38), and high level of father’s education (p=0.017, AOR=0.32). Cyberbullying via mobile phone was significantly associated with depression (p=0.040) but was not an independent predictor. Conclusion: A high prevalence rate of depression was found among the school adolescents, to warrant appropriate school-based intervention programs. The finding that polygamous family type is an independent predictor of depressive symptoms has particular relevance to Northern Nigeria where the practice of polygamy is rampant.