PREVALENCE, PREDICTORS AND DETERMINANTS OF DEPRESSION IN WOMEN OF THE REPRODUCTIVE AGE GROUP

The purpose of this study was to find out prevalence, predictors and determinants of depression in women of reproductive age. The study was conducted in a peri-urban locality of Lahore. Among 186 respondents, 114 were less than 30 years of age (61%), 117 were Christians (62%) and 124 were educated (67%), 65 lived in nuclear family system (35%), with 148 women having 5 to 10 family members (79%), 174 were housewives (94%), 154 husbands were in regular employment (83%) and 107 women had family income of less than Rs. 5000 (58%). Among the study group, 123 women were married (66%), 19 were pregnant (15%) and 61 women had 3-4 children (50%). The present study prevalence of depression was 25%. Emotional and physical complaints like sadness, crying, irritability, loss of interest in life, sleeplessness, inability to work, tiredness, health worries, disappointment, self blaming, poor appetite and weight loss, were more in depressed respondents than non-depressed women (p= 0.001). Among age group 30 years, 33% women were depressed compared to 19% in age group 30 years (p=0.03). Among uneducated respondents 35% were depressed in contrast to 19% of educated women (p=0.02). In nuclear family type, 35% respondents were depressed compared to 20% living in mixed family system (p=0.03). Among women with 3-4 children, 38% had depression in contrast with 19% with 1-2 children (p=0.02). The study concluded that depression in reproductive age women is not uncommon. Its emo- tional and physical predictors and socio-demographic determinants must be kept in mind while identi- fying its risk factors and planning its management.