Abstract:
Introduction: Under nutrition and major depressive disorder are co-occurring among adults with their effects of interrelated and exacerbate one another in a vicious cycle. Patients with impaired mental health are strongly vulnerable to the risks of being involuntary weight loss or deficiency of essential nutrients. However, there is a limited study in Ethiopia which assess the prevalence and factors associated to under nutrition among adults with major depressive disorder.
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of under nutrition and associated factors among adults with major depressive disorder attending at University of Gondar teaching hospital and Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital Bahr Dar, Northwest Ethiopia.
Method: Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted in psychiatry outpatient clinic at University of Gondar teaching Hospital and Felege Hiwot Referral Hospital. A total of 424 clients were include in the study by using systematic random sampling method. Structured questionnaires and anthropometric measurement were used for data collections. Then data was entered to Epi info version 7 and transferred to SPSS version 20. The analysis part was contained descriptive statistics (frequencies and cross tabs), and binary logistic regression was fitted. OR with 95% confidence interval and p-value was calculated to identify associated factors.
Results: The overall prevalence of under nutrition was 31.4%. Residence [AOR=1.84, 95%CI (1.18-2.85)], taking multiple medication [AOR=1.77, 95%CI (1.03-3.05)], taking prescribed diet [AOR=0.47, 95%CI (0.26-0.87)] and current use alcohol [AOR=2.96, 95% CI (1.34-6.55)] were factors that are associated with under nutrition.
Conclusion and recommendation: The prevalence of under nutrition among adults with major depression disorder was found to be relatively high. Residence, taking multiple medication per day, taking prescribed diet, and current use of alcohol were with under nutrition in this group of patients. Nutritional assessment and nutritional education in line with those significantly associated should be the key intervention during the course of major depressive disorder follow up.
