Epidemiology of depression in the Nampula Central Hospital

Epidemiología de la depresión en el Hospital Central de Nampula

Depression is the most common mental disorder worldwide and is a major cause of disability and suffering.  A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with the objective of to describe the epidemiological characteristics of depressed patients in Nampula Central Hospital. Demographic variables, toxic habits, suicidal behavior, family history of mental disorders, age of the onset of depression, psychiatric and medical comorbidity and nosology ical diagnosis were studied. There was a predominance of people between 25 and 44 years of age, female, with a partner, pre-university education, employed, and with between 0 and 2 children. 24.3 % had suicidal ideas. 74.8% of the sample had a family history of mental disorders, predominantly alcoholism in first-degree relatives. A percentage of 62.5 % of depressed people suffered from one or more chronic physical illnesses, the most frequent being hypertension, HIV/AIDS and diabetes mellitus. Dysthymic disorder, depression associated with physical illness, and adjustment disorder with depressive mood were the most common nosological diagnoses.