Determinants of Help-Seeking Behaviours among Persons with Depression in Kyaka II Refugee Settlement Camp, Kyegegwa District, Uganda

Abstract

Depression is one of the leading contributors of the burden of disease globally and in low- and middle-income countries, and refugees are at increased risk for mental health problems due to forced migration from their home countries and other traumatic experiences. Objectives: To explore the determinants of help-seeking behaviours among persons with depression in Kyaka II Refugee Settlement Camp in Kyegegwa District. Specifically, the study examined the personal and health system factors that influence the help-seeking behaviours among refugees suffering from depression. Methods: The study was cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical, both qualitative and quantitative in approach. A sample of 237 refugees newly diagnosed with depression in Kyaka II Refuge Settlement Camp in Kyegegwa District was studied.

Data from primary respondents was collected by survey method using researcher- administered questionnaire and analysis was done.

Results: The demographic factors that were found to have an influence on help- seeking behaviour were gender (p=0.028), marital status (p=0.001) and religion

(p=0.002). Indeed, religion significantly influenced the help-seeking behaviors of persons with depression (COR=2.381, 95% CI=1.359-4.172, p=0.002), implying that those who were protestants were at least two times more likely to seek help for depression from a health facility than those who belonged to other religions. There is no significant between most health system factors and help seeking behaviours, except receiving services when needed (p=0.000) and experience at healthcare facility (p=0.000). Conclusion: At Kyaka II Refuge Settlement Camp in Kyegegwa, refugees and asylum seekers suffering from depression try out several measures in seeking help for their depression predicament. However, only a sizeable proportion of them seek professional care on realizing that they are suffering from depression. Many of them seek relief from spiritualists/religious leaders and traditional healers.