Abstract
BackgroundDepression is the leading cause of disease-related disability in women and adversely affects the health and well-being of mothers and their children. Studies have shown maternal depression as a risk factor for poor infant growth. Little is known about the situation in Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of our study was to examine the association between maternal depression and severe acute malnutrition in Kenyan children aged 6–60 months.MethodsA matched case-control study was conducted in general paediatric wards at the Kenyatta National Hospital. The cases were children admitted with severe acute malnutrition as determined by WHO criteria. The controls were age and sex-matched children with normal weight admitted in the same wards with acute ailments. Mothers of the cases and controls were assessed for depression using the PHQ-9 questionnaire. Child anthropometric and maternal demographic data were captured. Logistic regression analyses were used to compare the odds of maternal depression in cases and controls, taking into account other factors associated with child malnutrition status.ResultsThe prevalence of moderate to severe depression among mothers of malnourished children was high (64.1%) compared to mothers of normal weight children (5.1%). In multivariate analyses, the odds of maternal depression was markedly higher in cases than in controls (adjusted OR = 53.5, 95% CI = 8.5–338.3), as was the odds of having very low income (adjusted OR = 77.6 95% CI = 5.8–1033.2).ConclusionsKenyan mothers whose children are hospitalized with malnutrition were shown in this study to carry a significant mental health burden. We strongly recommend formation of self-help groups that offer social support, counseling, strategies to address food insecurity, and economic empowerment skills for mothers of children hospitalized for malnourishment.
Highlights
Depression is the leading cause of disease-related disability in women and adversely affects the health and well-being of mothers and their children
Study design We carried out a matched case-control study to examine differences in the prevalence of depression in mothers with young children hospitalized for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) and mothers with young children hospitalized for other health problems
The prevalence of depression in Kenyan mothers of children under five years of age who were hospitalized for malnutrition was found to be significant
Summary
Depression is the leading cause of disease-related disability in women and adversely affects the health and well-being of mothers and their children. Studies have shown maternal depression as a risk factor for poor infant growth. Since feeding and caring for the young is primarily the mother’s responsibility, poor maternal physical or mental health can adversely affect nutrition, health, and psychological well-being of children [1]. The impact of maternal mental health on children’s long-term emotional, cognitive and behavioral problems has been well studied in high income countries [2,3,4]. The impact on child physical health and development has received less. Physical growth is a key indicator of child health and nutritional status [6]. Rapid physical growth and development occur in the first two years of life when children are the most dependent on caregivers for meeting their nutritional needs [7]. Studies have shown that healthy maternal behavior and attitude have an essential role in maintaining healthy nutrition in children [5,6,7]
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