Semrau, Maya, Davey, Gail, Beng, Amuam Andrew, Chouna Ndongmo, Winston Patrick, Njouendou, Abdel Jelil, Wanji, Samuel and Deribe, Kebede (2019) Depressive symptoms amongst people with podoconiosis and lower limb lymphoedema of other cause in Cameroon: a cross-sectional study. Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, 4 (3). a102 1-8. ISSN 2414-6366

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Abstract

Evidence is emerging that shows elevated mental distress and disorder amongst people with several neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). This study aimed to establish the prevalence of depressive symptoms amongst people with podoconiosis and lower limb lymphoedema of other cause in Cameroon.

The study was part of a larger research piece that mapped the geographical distribution of podoconiosis in Cameroon. The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9; mean) was employed to determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms amongst people with lower limb lymphoedema.

Linear regression was used to assess the association between socio-demographic characteristics of participants and depressive symptoms. Internal consistency of the PHQ-9 was estimated through Cronbach’s alpha (α = 0.651). The mean PHQ-9 score among people with lower limb lymphoedema was 3.48 (SD ± 3.25). Using a PHQ-9 score of 5 or above as the cut-off score, 32 participants (38.6%) displayed at least mild depressive symptoms. Unemployment was the only factor that was significantly associated with more depressive symptoms overall.

This study shows that depressive symptoms are common amongst people with lower limb lymphoedema in Cameroon. The findings provide support for the integration of psychosocial interventions into packages of care for the management of lower limb lymphoedema.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	neglected tropical diseases, lymphoedema, podoconiosis, mental health, depression, prevalence
Schools and Departments:	Brighton and Sussex Medical School > Global Health and Infection
Research Centres and Groups:	Wellcome Trust Brighton and Sussex Centre for Global Health Research
Depositing User:	Esther Garibay
Date Deposited:	23 Jul 2019 16:28
Last Modified:	18 Feb 2022 14:45
URI:	http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/85046

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