Social And Culture Factors Associated With Postpartum Depression In Morogoro, Tanzania

Background: Postpartum depression(PPD)is a major psychological disorder which has significant impact on maternal morbidity and mortality as well as child health.Various risk factors of PPD have been explored but culture and traditions have been rarely investigated in Tanzania.Objectives: 1)to investigate the prevalence of PPD in Morogoro Municipal,Tanzania.2)to determine social and cultural factors of PPD in Morogoro Municipal.Methodology: A Cross-sectional survey was conducted with 445 women at 6th week postpartum at one health centre and five health clinics in Morogoro Municipal.The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression scale(EPDS)and the self-developed cultural determined risk factor for PPD questionnaire had been used to collect the data.Logistic regression was employed to analyse risk factors of PPD.Results: This study showed among 405 subjects,41 of them had symptoms of PPD.The prevalence of PPD at six week postpartum women in Morogoro,Tanzania was 10.1 %.The significant cultural factors associated with PPD were confinement,polygamy.The significant social demographic factor was age.The significant obstetric factor was mother hospitalization and puerperal sepsis.As for social support related factors,lack of financial support,quarrels with husband,family other than mother in-law,abuse of any kind,conflicts about sexual intercourse and divorce were found to be significantly associated with PPD.Futher,the multiple regression showed that only 6 variables were found to be significant:confinement,polygamy,mother hospitalization,financial support by self,sexual conflicts,divorce or separated.Conclusion: The occurrence of PPD is the result of various factors,in which social and cultural factors play an important role.This study suggested that routine psychological health screening and counseling is necessary to identify the symptom for PPD in Morogoro,Tanzania.