Mental health literacy, prevalence of depression and PTSD among internally displaced persons in Northern Nigeria

Abstract

Background: To investigate the level of mental health literacy (MHL) along with the prevalence, severity, and determinants of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in IDP camps in Northern Nigeria. Methods: A cross-sectional research with a well-structured questionnaire translated into the Hausa Language was used to assess mental health literacy, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder among young (10-24 years). IDPs in the New Kuchingoro and Durumi IDP camps using the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire (MHLQ), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and the Short Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Interview (SPRINT), respectively. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Chi-square test, and regression analysis at a significance level of p0.05. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 25.0 was used for analysis. Results: Of the 637 respondents, 46.5% were between 20-24 years of age, 54.8% were males. 72.4% had poor, whilst 27.6% had good mental health literacy. Respondents between 15-19 years were 1.6 times more likely to have good mental health literacy as compared to those between the ages of 10-14 years (OR=1.625, p=0.044, CI=1.013-2.609). Slightly above half (54.6%) of the respondents met the diagnostic criteria for current depression, 19.9% had current PTSD symptoms and 16% reported co-morbidity of depression and PTSD symptoms. This study also revealed that respondents with good mental health literacy were 95.3% less likely to have PTSD and depression respectively (OR= 0.047, p0.001, CI=0.015- 0.150; OR= 0.079, p0.001, CI=0.050-0.125). Depressed IDPs were 4.4 times more likely to have PTSD (OR= 4.379, p0.001, CI=2.735-7.010). Conclusions: Due to the positive impact of good MHL on mental health outcomes, mental health literacy should be encouraged for IDPs, to create and execute measures to reduce the consequences of relocation on IDPs` mental health.