Prevalence and determinants of depression and anxiety symptoms among adults: Evidence from the 2022-23 Mozambique demographic and health surveys

Abstract

Objective

Depressive and anxiety disorders significantly contribute to the global disease burden, affecting quality of life and increasing mortality. In Mozambique, the intersection of economic deprivation, cultural stigmatisation and the high suicide rate exacerbates depressive and anxiety disorders. This study aimed to examine the prevalence and determinants of depression and anxiety symptoms in Mozambique as there is limited literature on this subject.

Methods

A sample of 18,563 individuals was drawn from the 2022–23 Mozambique Demographic and Health Surveys data. Depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) respectively. Descriptive statistics were used to obtain the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms and ordered logit regression models were used to examine the determinants of anxiety and depression symptoms.

Results

The findings revealed that 74.87 % of respondents exhibited minimal anxiety symptoms, while 78.07 % reported minimal depression symptoms. Results from the multivariable ordered-logit regression revealed women were more likely to experience severe anxiety (AOR = 2.26, 95 % CI: 1.95 - 2.63) and depression (AOR = 2.16, 95 % CI: 1.83 - 2.55) symptoms. However, rural residents, those in the richest wealth category, those who were employed, and those who had very good health status, had lower odds of experiencing severe anxiety and depression symptoms.

Conclusion

The study’s findings underscore the need for mental health interventions, particularly those addressing gender and socioeconomic disparities. Policies promoting gender equality, employment and good health may play a crucial role in mitigating mental health challenges in Mozambique.