Mental Distress and Associated Factors among Orphan Children: Case of Kechene and Kolfe Governmental Child Care and Rehabilitation Center
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2018-01
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Research in the developed world has explored effects of bereavement on children, and hasshowed differing mental health effects of parental loss. In our country, however, the relationshipbetween mental distress of orphan who live in child care and rehabilitation center andassociated factors has received little attention. To assess the mental distress and associatedfactors among orphan children in children’s care and rehabilitation center in Addis Ababa.Cross sectional quantitative study was conduct on two purposively selected governmental childcare and rehabilitation center, namely Kechene and Kolfe in Addis Ababa, from January toDecember, 2017. All Children who were in the age group of 11 - 18 years residing in child careand rehabilitation center orphan were included in the study. A structured questionnaire fromHospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were translated into Amharic language and used to collect data; EPI info version 7 and STATA version 12 were used to data entry and analysis.Multivariate analysis was applied to identify correlates of mental distress and independentvariables. More than half (51.81%) of children who were included in the study experiencemental distress; the most prevalent type of mental distress was Depression (52.9%) followed byanxiety (51.1%).On the other hand, 31.9% of respondents were experienced abnormal Anxiety and Depression Symptoms. Both children’s educational status (P<0.037) and quality ofrelationship with worker (P<0.004) had significantly associated with depression, while qualityof relationship with worker (P<0.004) had significantly associated with Anxiety. This studyfinding indicate depression and anxiety among child care and rehabilitation center orphan hoodwere common, especially children who had poor relationship with care providers and lowereducational status were the most vulnerable; suggested that they may be in need of support. So,early identification and intervention is necessary for the children living care and rehabilitationcenter to prevent further consequences.
Description
Keywords
Mental distress, orphan, children, care and rehabilitation center.