Perinatal mental disorders and suicidal risk among adolescent mothers living in urban areas of Cameroon

BackgroundIn sub-Saharan Africa the birth rate among teenage mothers is the highest in the world. In 2021, there would be 6,114,000 births for 15–19-year-olds in this part of the world. In Cameroon, the fertility rate among adolescents aged 15–19 is 24%. However, there is a significant lack of data on the mental health of teenage mothers. Given the biopsychosocial conditions of the perinatal period and adolescence, we hypothesise that the prevalence of mental disorders and the risk of suicide is very high in Cameroon. The aim is therefore to determine the prevalence of perinatal mental disorders and suicide risk among adolescent mothers in urban areas of Cameroon.MethodsFollowing ethical approval of the submitted protocol, we recruited adolescent mothers and data were collected using diagnostic interviews based on the DSM-5, PDM-2 and MINI guidelines. The types of sampling used were typical and incidental. Data were tabulated with Epidata 3.1 and processed with SPSS 25.Results66.4% of adolescent mothers were diagnosed with a mental disorder and 27.4% with suicidal risk. It was found that there was a link between mental disorders and suicidal risk (p<0.001), with mothers at suicidal risk having an 8.4 times greater risk of having a mental disorder (OR=8.423). Linear regression confirmed the statistically significant relationship between perinatal mental disorders and suicidal risk. 31.1% of the total variance in suicidal risk was explained by mental disorders. The regression coefficients for mental disorders with a p<0.05 value is: perinatal depression (-0.279), post-partum psychosis (-0.133), trauma disorder (-0.034), generalised anxiety disorder (-0.008) and conduct disorder (-0.020).ConclusionsOur hypothesis is confirmed, because the prevalence of 66.4% of mental disorders and 27.4% of suicidal risk are significantly high in Cameroon. In some way, the disorders predict suicidal risk, because the less an adolescent mother has one of these pathologies during the perinatal period, the less she will be at risk of suicide. More research of this kind is needed to contribute in providing more data, including solutions to address the morbidity and mortality problems associated with the mental health of teenage mothers

Prévalence et caractéristiques cliniques de la dépression majeure chez les patients pris en charge en médecine interne générale

Cette étude a investigué la prévalence et les caractéristiques cliniques, selon DSM IV, de la dépression majeure, parmi les patients admis dans le service de médicine interne générale des hôpitaux universitaires de Genève (HUG). 557 patients consentants, âgés de 18 à 70 ans, ont été investigués. Chaque sujet a été évalué à l'aide du SCID (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV). 12.4% patients ont été diagnostiqués avec une dépression majeure (hommes: 8.8%, femmes: 16.9%, P=.004). Parmi ces patients, l'humeur dépressive (97.1%), la baisse de l'intérêt et de plaisir (81.2%), et la fatigue (91.3%) étaient les symptômes les plus représentés. Les idées récurrentes de mort étaient présentes chez 47.8% des patients déprimés. Cette étude confirme qu'une proportion importante des patients pris en charge en médecine interne souffre d'une dépression majeure. Elle permet une meilleure compréhension des caractéristiques cliniques de la dépression majeure chez ces patients

L'effet d'une psychothérapie brève centrée sur la parentalité sur la symptomatologie anxio-dépressive des mères durant la période périnatale

Cette thèse porte sur le sujet de « l'effet d'une psychothérapie brève centrée sur la parentalité (PBCP) sur la symptomatologie anxio-dépressive des mères durant la période périnatale ». Une étude a été menée d'octobre 2009 à mars 2013 dans l'unité de guidance infantile du Service de psychiatrie de l'enfant et de l'adolescent, sous la direction et supervision de la doctoresse Nathalie Nanzer, médecin adjointe et responsable de l'unité. L'auteur de la thèse a écrit le protocole de cette étude et a coordonnée les réunions entre l'équipe de recherche et les thérapeutes des patientes incluses dans l'étude tout au long de la durée des thérapies. Il a participé à l'élaboration de la base de donnée statistique, rencontré les patientes pour les évaluations pré et post-thérapie, et saisi les résultats des questionnaires dans la base de données. Les résultats de cette étude ont été publiés en Mars 2013 dans la revue Swiss Medical Weekly. Cet article constitue le corps principal de la présente thèse. L'introduction et la discussion ont fait l'objet d'une traduction française. Nous avons complété ce travail avec une brève description de l'évolution des sujets un an après la fin de la thérapie

The impact of brief psychotherapy centred on parenthood on the anxio-depressive symptoms of mothers during the perinatal period

Depression and anxiety are major causes of distress amongst parents during the perinatal period. Their pervasive effects on the parents' self-confidence, on the parent-infant relationship and on the child's development have been well documented. The aims of the present study were to describe the psychological characteristics of mothers consulting during the perinatal period and to assess the effect of brief Psychotherapy Centred on Parenthood (PCP) on the mothers' depressive and anxiety symptoms. The evolution of the mother-infant relationship is also documented. PCP is a brief mother-infant psychotherapy which focuses on the mother-infant relationship as well as the mother's mental representations in order to reduce her psychological conflicts

Teenage Mothers in Yaoundé, Cameroon—Risk Factors and Prevalence of Perinatal Depression Symptoms

Background: Perinatal depression is defined as a non-psychotic depressive episode occurring during pregnancy or during the first year following childbirth. This depressive disorder is highly prevalent among teenage women but there is a lack of data in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to provide baseline data on the sociodemographic characteristics of pregnant teenagers or teenage mothers in an urban zone in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Risk factors were assessed, and prevalence of depressive disorders was determined. Methods: Women aged 20 years old or less in the perinatal period were invited to participate in the study. A total of 1344 women participated in the four-stage data collection process involving a questionnaire including questions on sociodemographic background, an assessment of their risk of perinatal depression using the EPDS questionnaire (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), a clinical interview based on the DSM 5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), and a final section focusing on risk factors of perinatal depression. Results: The EPDS score was obtained for 1307 women. The prevalence of depressive disorder symptoms among teenage or young pregnant women is estimated to be 70.0%. This risk is significantly increased by different factors including unintended or unplanned pregnancy (aOR: 1.33, 1.14–1.56 CI95%), being separated or single (aOR: 1.34, 1.12–1.60 CI95%), experiencing depression and anxiety before childbirth (aOR: 1.50, 1.02–2.27 CI95%), abortion experience (aOR: 2.60, 1.03–7.14 CI95%) and domestic violence (aOR: 1.76, 1.12–2.83 CI95%). Conclusion: The results of this study reveal a high prevalence of depressive disorder symptoms within the study population. These findings highlight the need to develop maternal care programs to support both mothers and their infants.</jats:p

Teenage Mothers in Yaoundé, Cameroon: Risk Factors and Prevalence of Perinatal Depression Symptoms

Background: Perinatal depression is defined as a non-psychotic depressive episode occurring during pregnancy or during the first year following childbirth. This depressive disorder is highly prevalent among teenage women but there is a lack of data in low- and middle-income countries. The objective of this study was to provide baseline data on the sociodemographic characteristics of pregnant teenagers or teenage mothers in an urban zone in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Risk factors were assessed, and prevalence of depressive disorders was determined. Methods: Women aged 20 years old or less in the perinatal period were invited to participate in the study. A total of 1344 women participated in the four-stage data collection process involving a questionnaire including questions on sociodemographic background, an assessment of their risk of perinatal depression using the EPDS questionnaire (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale), a clinical interview based on the DSM 5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), and a final section focusing on risk factors of perinatal depression. Results: The EPDS score was obtained for 1307 women. The prevalence of depressive disorder symptoms among teenage or young pregnant women is estimated to be 70.0%. This risk is significantly increased by different factors including unintended or unplanned pregnancy (aOR: 1.33, 1.14–1.56 CI95%), being separated or single (aOR: 1.34, 1.12–1.60 CI95%), experiencing depression and anxiety before childbirth (aOR: 1.50, 1.02–2.27 CI95%), abortion experience (aOR: 2.60, 1.03–7.14 CI95%) and domestic violence (aOR: 1.76, 1.12–2.83 CI95%). Conclusion: The results of this study reveal a high prevalence of depressive disorder symptoms within the study population. These findings highlight the need to develop maternal care programs to support both mothers and their infants. of perinatal depression. Results: The EPDS score was obtained for 1307 women. The prevalence of depressive disorder symptoms among teenage or young pregnant women is estimated to be 70.0%. This risk is significantly increased by different factors including unintended or unplanned pregnancy (aOR: 1.33, 1.14–1.56 CI95%), being separated or single (aOR: 1.34, 1.12–1.60 CI95%), experiencing depression and anxiety before childbirth (aOR: 1.50, 1.02–2.27 CI95%), abortion experience (aOR: 2.60, 1.03–7.14 CI95%) and domestic violence (aOR: 1.76, 1.12–2.83 CI95%). Conclusion: The results of this study reveal a high prevalence of depressive disorder symptoms within the study population. These findings highlight the need to develop maternal care programs to support both mothers and their infants

Bénéfices d’un accompagnement psychologique des patients vivant avec le VIH

Despite improvement of life expectancy of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected people since the implementation of antiretroviral treatment, psychological suffering prevails and needs to be considered as part of the treatment to guarantee its efficiency. Mental disorders and social stigmatization substantially affect patients' quality of life and their adherence to treatment. The article details the benefits of a routine screening for mental disorders within this population, who is often reluctant to consult psychiatric services. The different treatments provided by the Geneva University Hospital (HUG) are introduced. A clinical case report illustrates the relevance of a multidisciplinary care program and the role of the liaison psychiatry in this field