Prevalence of Mental Disorders in Meskan and Mareko District Southern Ethiopia
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Date
1996-05
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Addis Abeba Universty
Abstract
Studies so far conducted in Ethiopia, lack information on prevalence of specific mental disorders in
rural communities. The lifetime and a one month prevalence of specific ICD-10 mental disorders and
associations with socio-demographic factors were determined using the translated Amharic version of
the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) in a rural population. A total of 501
community subjects which were selected from Meskan and Mareko district by stratified random
sampling were interviewed by non-clinician interviewers. The aggregate lifetime prevalence rate of
psychiatric morbidity was 31.8%, and 26.7% when substance dependence was not included. The most
frequent specific diagnoses were: dissociative disorders (6.3%), mood disorders (6.2%), somatoform
disorders (5.9%), and anxiety disorders (5.7%). After adjustment in a multi-center logistic model,
female sex were shown to have statistically significant association with mood disorders (OR= 3.84,
95% CI: 1.90, 7.73), and somatoform disorders (OR= 2.30, 95% CI: 1.13, 4.60). Severe cognitive and
mood disorders were significantly associated with being elderly: 60 years of age or more (OR= 7.71,
95% CI: 1.58, 7.53; and OR= 3.68, 95% CI= 1.36, 9.95; respectively). Muslims and those who were
earning low income were associated with khat dependence (OR= 3.5, 95% CI: 1.02, 11.98; and OR=
0.32, 95% CI: 0.10, 0.96; respectively). It is concluded that psychiatric morbidity is a major public
health problem in the rural community. Strengthening mental health care services in the rural
community and similar studies using CIDI is recommended
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Keywords
Prevalence of Mental Disorders in Meskan