Prevalence and correlates of depression among students in a senior high school in Ghana: A school-based cross-sectional study

Nana Akua Sarfoah Obeng-Okon; Douglas Aninng Opoku; Nana Kwame Ayisi-Boateng; Joseph Osarfo; Obed Kwabena Offe Amponsah; Jennifer Ashilevi; Sheneil Agyemang; Frempong Bernard; Helena Addai-Manu; Aliyu Mohammed

doi:10.1177/20503121241229841

Prevalence and correlates of depression among students in a senior high school in Ghana: A school-based cross-sectional study

SAGE Open Med. 2024 Feb 12:12:20503121241229841. doi: 10.1177/20503121241229841. eCollection 2024.

Affiliations

¹ School of Medicine and Dentistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
² School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
³ Allen Clinic, Family Healthcare Services, Kumasi, Ghana.
⁴ University Hospital, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
⁵ Department of Community Health, School of Medicine, University of Health and Allied Health Science, Ho, Ghana.
⁶ Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
⁷ Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.
⁸ School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA.

Abstract

Objectives: Depression is one of the most widely reported mental health issues that affect adolescents globally. However, there is a dearth of data on its prevalence and associated factors among senior high school students in Ghana, since previous studies have focused more on adult populations. This can hinder policies needed to champion mental health and mental health care in senior high schools. Hence, this study sought to assess the prevalence of depression and associated factors among senior high school students in Ghana.

Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study involving 289 students at the Manya Krobo Senior High School was conducted from December 2022 to February 2023. The students were selected using a two-stage random sampling method. A questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemographics and individual characteristics. The primary outcome was depression, and this was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Summary statistics were presented as means, frequencies, and percentages. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with depression and odds ratios presented with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was considered at p-value < 0.05.

Results: The mean age of the students was 16.6 (±1.2) with a range of 14-20 years. Over a quarter (26.3%) of the students reported financial difficulties. The prevalence of depression among the students was 68.9%. The factors associated with depression in this study were female sex (adjusted odds ratio: 1.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.01-2.97), age (adjusted odds ratio: 1.41, 95% confidence interval: 1.10-1.81), history of chronic health condition (adjusted odds ratio: 3.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.36-10.25), and financial difficulties (adjusted odds ratio: 2.31, 95% confidence interval: 1.15-4.63).

Conclusion: This study shows that depression is rife among students at the Manya Krobo Senior High School, Manya Krobo District, Ghana. These findings call for pragmatic interventions such as strengthening counseling units and professional mental health services to ameliorate the impact of depression on the lives of students.

Keywords: Correlates; Ghana; PHQ-9; depression; senior high school; students.