Prevalence of undernourishment and associated factors among adults with major depressive disorder at two public hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: Undernourishment is overlooked in people with major depressive disorder (MDD); however, it could have huge impacts on recovery, functioning and quality of life. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of undernourishment and associated factors among adults with MDD attending two public hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia. DESIGN: Institution-based cross-sectional study was used. SETTING: This study was conducted in two public hospitals—a tertiary-level specialised care hospital (Felege-Hiwot Comprehensive Specialized Hospital) and a secondary-level referral hospital (Debre Markos Referral Hospital). Both hospitals are located around 200 km apart and are the busiest hospitals in Western Amhara region. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 396 participants were included in the study using a stratified sampling technique. The study participants were recruited from psychiatry units. Adults with MDD were recruited from both hospitals proportionally between September and November 2019. OUTCOME MEASURES: Undernourishment was assessed using a body mass index measurement. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements, and analysed using a binary logistic regression model. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of undernourishment was 28.5% (95% CI: 23.7% to 33.4%) among adults with MDD attending psychiatric care in the two public hospitals in Northwest Ethiopia. Female gender (adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR)=2.18, 95% CI=1.20 to 3.96, p=0.01), rural residence (AOR=2.41, 95% CI=1.23 to 4.70, p=0.01), illiteracy (AOR=2.86, 95% CI=1.01 to 8.07, p=0.047), antidepressant side effects (AOR=2.04, 95% CI=1.08 to 3.88, p=0.028) and having HIV/AIDS (AOR=4.12, 95% CI=1.46 to 11.57, p=0.007) had a statistically significant association with undernourishment. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of undernourishment was high among adults with MDD in Northwest Ethiopia. This study suggests the need to include nutritional interventions for people with MDD in psychiatric care facilities.