Prevalence of depression and its determinants among women of the reproductive age group in a rural area of Tamil Nadu - A community-based cross-sectional study

Background: Mental health is a state of harmony between oneself and one's surrounding. According to the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, it is estimated that by 2020, depression will be the major cause of morbidity next to cardio-vascular disease in India. More than 90% of these cases remain untreated because of various factors such as social stigma, economical factors, and lack of awareness among the general public. Hence, this study was planned owing to the emerging mental health problems especially among women with an aim to estimate the prevalence of depression among women in rural areas and to identify the various determinants of depression. Materials and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional analytical study was conducted among women of the reproductive (15–45 years) age group residing in Sembakkam village for a period of 2 years using a semi-structured validated schedule after obtaining informed consent. Becks depression inventory scale was used for estimating the prevalence of depression. Data were analyzed using the Statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Results: The prevalence of depression was found to be 17.9%. Socio-economic statuses of the respondents and religion were found to be statistically significant with depression. Among women with depression, 96.1% of them did not have any disputes with their family members, but 19.4% of their family members were alcoholics. Conclusion: Psycho-social and socio-demographic determinants were found to be important determinants of depression. Interventions focused on tackling these determinants and maintaining a positive outlook will help in averting depression.