Help-Seeking Preferences to Informal and Formal Source of Care for Depression: A Community-Based Study in Northwest Ethiopia

Figures & data

Table 1 Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Participants Residing in Aykel Town, Northwest Ethiopia, 2015 (n=832)

Variables		Frequency	Percentage
Sex	Male	489	58.8
	Female	343	41.2
Age in years	18–25 years	215	25.8
	26–35 years	375	45.1
	36–45 years	163	19.6
	46–60 years	79	9.5
Ethnicity	Amhara	486	58.4
	Kimant	326	39.2
	Tigre	20	2.4
Religion	Orthodox Christianity	698	83.9
	Muslim	124	14.9
	Protestant Christianity	10	1.2
Educational status	Unable to read and write	65	7.8
	Primary school	98	11.8
	Secondary school	365	43.9
	Diploma and above	304	36.5
Occupational status	Government employee	298	35.8
	Private business owner	244	29.3
	Housewife	102	12.3
	Student	115	13.8
	Unemployed	73	8.8
Marital status	Single	407	48.9
	Married	387	46.5
	Divorced/ Widowed	38	4.6
Social support	Poor	363	43.5
	Moderate	389	46.8
	Strong	81	9.7

Table 2 Residents’ Preferences for Different Informal and Formal Sources of Help for Depression in Aykel Town, Northwest Ethiopia, 2015 (n=832)

Preferences to Seek Depression Care		Mean(SD)	Score ≤3 (Low Propensity)		Score4 (High Propensity)
			Freq	Percent	Freq	Percent
Informal sources of care	Intimate partner (girlfriend, boyfriend, husband, wife)	3.96(1.14)	176	21.2	656	78.8
	Friends	3.76(1.07)	206	24.8	626	75.2
	Parent (Mother/Father)	3.86(1.14)	228	27.4	604	72.6
	Other relative/family members	3.07(1.21)	474	57	358	43
	Religious sources (Holy water, priest, chaplain or rabbi)	3.86(1.30)	232	27.9	600	72.1
	Sorcerer	1.34(0.71)	812	97.6	20	2.4
Formal sources of care	Any health professionals (eg doctor, nurse, HO, etc.)	3.72(1.23)	240	28.8	592	71.2
	Mental health professionals (psychologist, social worker, counselor)	4.00(1.09)	177	21.3	655	78.7
	Traditional healer	1.82(1.08)	748	89.9	84	10.1

Table 3 Summary of Measures of Preferences to Informal and Formal Sources of Help for Depression

Sources of Help	Mean (Standard Deviation)
Close informal*	3.67 (0.78)
Broad informal**	2.6 (0.76)
Informal total	3.41 (0.60)
Formal***	3.18 (0.75)

Notes:*Boyfriend, girlfriend, friend, father or mother, other relatives. **Religious related sources of help (holy water, priest), sorcerer. ***Any health professionals and traditional healer.

Table 4 Comparison of Socio Demographic Characteristics of Participants and Mean Scores of Preference to Informal Sources of Help, Northwest Ethiopia, 2015 (N=832)

Variables		Frequency (%)	Mean ±SD	Test of Significance	p-value
Sex	Male	489 (58.8)	3.30±0.62	t= −0.17	0.202
	Female	343 (41.2)	3.31±0.57
Age in years	18–25 years	215 (25.8)	3.30±0.61	F=1.37	0.192
	26–35 years	375 (45.1)	3.2±0.59
	36–45 years	163(19.6)	3.32±0.61
	>45 years	79 (9.5)	3.34±0.54
Ethnicity	Amhara	486 (58.4)	3.27±0.60	F=2.41	0.09
	Kimant	326 (39.2)	3.36±0.59
	Tigre	20 (2.4)	3.4±0.40
Religion	Orthodox Christianity	698 (83.9)	3.31±0.60	F=0.47	0.62
	Muslim	124 (14.9)	3.27±0.55
	Protestant Christianity	10 (1.2)	3.43±0.91
Educational status	Unable to read and write	65 (7.8)	3.34±0.57	F=0.64	0.51
	Primary school	98 (11.8)	3.28±0.63
	Secondary school	365 (43.9)	3.31±0.59
	Diploma and above	304 (36.5)	3.31±0.61
Occupational status	Government employee	298 (35.8)	3.33±0.59	F=7.54	0.045
	Private business owner	244 (29.3)	3.30±0.57
	Housewife	102 (12.3)	3.50±0.55
	Student	115 (13.8)	3.02±0.70
	Unemployed	73 (8.8)	3.46±0.55
Marital status	Single	407 (48.9)	3.30±0.59	F=0.64	0.48
	Married	387 (46.5)	3.32±0.61
	Divorced/ Widowed	38 (4.6)	3.30±0.70
Social support	Poor	363 (43.5)	3.18±0.64	F=18.47	<0.001
	Moderate	389 (46.8)	3.38±0.55
	Strong	81 (9.7)	3.55±0.50