Abstract:
Background: Mental illnesses are public health problems in the world and more common in low
income countries. It causes direct mortality, morbidity and significant risk factor for adverse health
out comes. In Ethiopia, among every five persons, an individual is affected by common mental
illness.
Objectives: To assess the prevalence and associated factors of common mental illnesses among
persons of working age in Hadiya zone, south of Ethiopia.
Methods: A community based cross sectional study was conducted in Hadiya zone from February
to March 2016 on a total 722 sample respondents, whose age ranges from 15 to 64 years. The study
subjects were selected by two stages stratified sampling technique. Data was collected on
individual risk factors common mental illnesses (CMIs), using-interviewers administered
questionnaire. The data was entered in to EPI Data version 3.1 and exported to SPSS version 20
statistical software for analysis. Univariate, bivariate and multivariate analyses were done.
Results: The prevalence of CMIs was found to be 46.1% (95% CI: 42.7, 49.7%). The age from 55
to above years were almost 46% less likely develops CMIs than from age 35 to 54 years
(AOR=0.54, CI: 0.36, 0.804). Those respondents having single marital status 52.6% less likely
develops CMIs than ever married (AOR=0.474, CI: 0.307, 0.734). Those respondents were having
pervious history of chronic medical illness 1.9 times more likely develops CMIs (AOR=1.9, CI:
1.109, 3.279).The respondents were having small family size , 1.9 times more likely develops CMIs
than large family size (AOR=1.9, CI: 1.206, 2.846). Those were having pervious history of khat
chewing 4.5 times more likely develops CMIs non chewer (AOR=4.5, CI: 3.066, 6.603) and the
respondents having stressful life events like major financial crisis 2.9 times more likely develops
CMIs than those have non finical crisis (AOR=2.9, CI: 2.007, 3.978).
Conclusions: This study confirmed that CMIs are major public health problems in Hadiya zone
with high prevalence, due to using the different cut off point in urban and rural community and they
are majority groups. Common in lower age, small family size, pervious family history of chronic
medical illness, having single martial status, pervious history of khat chewer and those having
major financial crisis were significantly associated with CMIs.
