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Shegaye Shumet,1 Telake Azale,2 Dessie Abebaw Angaw,3 Getachew Tesfaw,1 Messele Wondie,1 Wondale Getinet Alemu,1 Tadele Amare,1 Tilahun Kassew,1 Gebremeskel Mesafint4 1Department of Psychiatry, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 2Department of Health Education and Behavioral Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 3Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 4Mizan-Tapi University, College of Health Science, Department of Nursing, Mizan Aman, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Gebremeskel MesafintMizan-Tapi University, College of Health Science, Department of Nursing, Mizan Aman, EthiopiaTel +251918209867Email mulegeta111@gmail.comBackground: Globally, 350 million people are suffering from depression. Many people suffering from depression use different sources of help for their problems. People with different mental health problems seek help from formal and/or informal sources. This gives crucial information on community beliefs and perception regarding their preference for help. This study helps to guide effective planning and provision of mental health services, and health policy of the country to explore the community’s preference to different sources of help.Objective: The aim was to contrast patterns of formal and informal help-seeking preferences for depression among residents of Aykel town, Northwest Ethiopia.Methods: This cross-sectional population-based study included 832 participants. We used a major depressive disorder case vignette and general help-seeking questionnaire (GHSQ) to assess preference to seek help. Study participants were selected by multistage cluster sampling technique. An independent sample t-test and analysis of variance test (ANOVA) was performed.Results: A total of 656 subjects (78.8%) showed high propensity to intimate partner, and 655 (78.7%) of the study subjects had high propensity to mental health professional. The mean score of the residents’ preference to seek help from informal sources was 3.41± 0.60. The mean score of preference to seek help from formal sources was 3.18± 0.75. A total of 276 (33.2%) subjects showed high propensity to both informal and formal sources of help. The results also showed there was a mean score difference in preference for informal help between subjects with strong social support and low and moderate social support (P< 0.001).Conclusion: The result suggests that the majority of the residents had a higher preference to seek help from informal sources than formal sources of care. Providing and strengthening both formal and informal sources of help in conjunction are crucial to get a more qualified and effective care for depressed patients.Keywords: depression, preference to seek help, Ethiopia

Helen Lamesgin Endalew,1 Bikis Liyew,2 Tilahun Kassew,3 Gebrekidan Ewnetu Tarekegn,4 Ambaye Dejen Tilahun,2 Tesfa Sewunet Alamneh4 1Department of Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 2Department of Emergency and Critical Care Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 3Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia; 4Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Bikis LiyewDepartment of Emergency and Critical Care Nursing, School of Nursing, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O.Box 196, Gondar, EthiopiaTel +251932731964Email biksliyew16@gmail.comBackground: Myocardial infarction is the fifth leading causes of disability-adjusted life years in low-income countries including Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to construct a hypothetical model to determine the factors affecting the health-related quality of life of myocardial infarction survivors at the cardiac center Ethiopia.Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed, and 421 myocardial infarction patients were enrolled through consecutive sampling technique from the outpatient clinic at the cardiac center of Ethiopia. The World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF-26 tool was used to assess the problem. It consists of four domains such as physical, psychological, social relationships, and environmental health domains. The structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was employed using STATA-14 software to examine the relationship between various exogenous and endogenous or mediating variables with overall quality of life.Results: Psychological, physical, environmental health domains and sex had significant association with health-related quality of life (β=0.708, p< 0.001, β= 0.237, p=0.046, β=0.242, p=0.020, and β=0.189, p=0.017, respectively), whereas age had direct, negative association with health-related quality of life (β=− 0.007, p=0.026). Residence and level of education were not directly associated with health-related quality of life. Residence indirectly, negatively influenced health-related quality of life (β= − 0.379, p< 0.001). On the other hand, level of education indirectly, positively affects health-related quality of life (β=i0.133, p< 0.001).Conclusion: Psychological health factors had the most substantial causal effect on health-related quality of life, which was larger than the causal effects of physical and environmental health-related factors. Developing and providing comprehensive interventions are necessary to assess and manage psychological, physical, and environmental health factors and to improve the quality of life in myocardial infarction patients.Keywords: health-related quality of life, myocardial infarction, structural equation model, Ethiopia

Kenean Belete,1 Tilahun Kassew,2 Demeke Demilew,2 Tadele Amare Zeleke2 1Yirgalem Hospital Medical College, Yirgalem, Sidama, Ethiopia; 2Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Tilahun KassewDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O.Box: 196, Gondar, EthiopiaTel +251 918410710Email tilahunkassew123@gmail.comBackground: Suicide ideation and attempt are common among pregnant women, risk factors for completed suicide, and associated adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. It is under-recognized and has not been investigated well in low-income countries like Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and factors associated with suicide ideation and attempt among pregnant women attending antenatal care services at public hospitals in southern Ethiopia.Methods: A group of 762 pregnant women who were attending the antenatal service at public hospitals in Hawassa, southern Ethiopia, selected by a systematic random sampling technique, took part in an interview. A Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) was used to measure suicide ideation and attempt. Chi-square and binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the associated factors. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used for reporting the result with a p-value< 0.05 statistical significance level.Results: The prevalence of suicide ideation and attempt among pregnant women was 11.8% and 2.7%, respectively. Unplanned pregnancy (AOR=2.01, 95% CI=1.04– 3.88), poor social support (AOR=3.29, 95% CI=1.62– 6.68), common mental disorders (AOR=2.77, 95% CI=1.50– 5.09), and lifetime suicide ideation (AOR=4.63, 95% CI=2.63– 8.16) were factors significantly associated with suicide ideation. Social support was the only correlated factor with suicide attempt among pregnant mothers.Conclusion: The prevalence of suicide ideation and attempt among pregnant women was found to be high. Intervention strategies towards suicidal ideation and attempt should consider improving social support and antenatal related common mental disorders with a primary focus on women with unplanned pregnancy and prior history of suicide ideation.Keywords: antenatal care, pregnant women, suicide, suicide ideation, suicide attempt, Ethiopia

Sintayehu Asnakew,1 Haile Amha,2 Tilahun Kassew3 1Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Health Science, Debre Tabor University, Debre Tabor, Ethiopia; 2Departments of Psychiatry, College of Health Science, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia; 3Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Science, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Sintayehu AsnakewDebre Tabor University, PO Box: 272, Debre Tabor, EthiopiaTel +251918162236Email sintie579@gmail.comBackground: The coronavirus has affected nearly every aspect of our lives. Most importantly the health-care workers (HCWs) are under insurmountable psychological pressures which lead them to various mental health problems, such as anxiety, stress, and depression.Objective: This study aimed to assess mental health adverse effects of COVID-19 pandemic on health-care workers in North West Ethiopia 2020.Materials and Methods: Institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted. A simple random sampling technique was applied and 419 participants completed the questionnaire. Mental health adverse effects were measured using the depression, anxiety and stress scale (DASS-21). Data were entered into Epi data version 4.4.2 then exported to SPSS version 24 for analysis. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate binary logistic regressions with odds ratios and 95% confidence interval were employed. The level of significance of association was determined at a p-value < 0.05.Results: Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress in this study was 58.2%, 64.7%, and 63.7%, respectively Those who had a medical illness, and mental illness, contact with confirmed COVID-19 pts, and poor social support showed a statistically significant association with depression. Female sex, participants who had families with chronic illness, had contact with confirmed COVID-19 case and poor social support had statistically significant association with anxiety, whereas participants who had families with chronic illness had contact with confirmed COVID-19 cases, and those participants who had poor social support were predictors of stress during COVID-19 pandemic.Conclusion: The magnitudes of mental health problems were higher and the concerned body should emphasize the continuous assessment of the mental health of health-care workers during this pandemic.Keywords: depression, anxiety, stress, DASS-21, COVID-19

Yassin Mohammed Yimer,1 Mengistu Bekele Buli,2 Goshu Nenko,3 Yohannes Mirkena,3 Tilahun Kassew3 1Mental Health Unit, Eka Kotebie Referral Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 2Mental Health Unit, Amanuel Mental Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 3Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Tilahun KassewDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, P.O. Box: 196, Gondar, EthiopiaTel +251918410710Email tilahunkassew123@gmail.comBackground: Depression among older adults with visual impairment is the commonest psychiatric problem and causes a range of effects in on disability and progression of visual health outcomes that may even end in death. In Ethiopia, there are gaps in the detection of the comorbidity of mental health problems especially depressive symptoms among those older people. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of self-reported depressive symptoms and determinant factors among the elderly people with visual impairment attending the ophthalmologic outpatient clinic.Methods: A group of 423 elderly people with visual impairment invited by systematic random sampling technique to took part in the interview for this cross-sectional study at Menelik II referral hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from January to June 2019. Descriptive statistics like frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were used to summarize the distribution of the data. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to examine the associated factors. An adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used for reporting the result, and a p-value of < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: The prevalence of self-reported depressive symptoms among elderly people with visual impairment was 26.7% with a 95% confidence interval (22.6– 30.8). Widowhood, single and/divorced [Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)= 3.17, 95% CI: 1.71, 5.91]; [AOR=2.70, 95% CI: 1.35, 5.38], respectively, poor social support [AOR=4.34, 95% CI: 1.84, 10.24], severe level [AOR=2.63, 95% CI: 1.73, 6.63] and longer duration (> 5 years) of the illness [AOR=3.15, 95% CI: 1.60, 6.19] were the factors significantly associated with higher odds of depressive symptoms.Conclusion: The Prevalence of self-reported depressive symptoms among elderly people with visual impairment in Ethiopia was high. Public health interventions targeting risky individuals with high depressive symptoms are needed to reduce depressive symptoms and to prevent disability and poor medical illnesses outcomes related to depressive symptoms.Keywords: depressive symptoms, depression, elderly, visual impairment, Ethiopia