PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS AMONG SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS ADOLESCENTS IN OSOGBO-OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

Ogundiran Adenike Christiana, Awoyemi Adesoji Emmanuel, Akinyemi Atinuke Olusola, Ogundiran Olawale, Falade Joshua, Yakubu Andrew and Eegunranti Benjamin Adekunle*

ABSTRACT

Background: Adolescent depression is a significant health problem which can lead to detrimental consequences on the adolescents, their families and their communities. Interestingly, depressive symptoms among secondary school adolescents are often overlooked, as they can be confused with mood swings that they often experience at this age. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and the prevalent degree of depressive symptoms among Senior Secondary School Adolescents in Osogbo, Nigeria. Methods: This study adopted the descriptive survey design. The participants comprised two hundred and two adolescents in two selected senior secondary schools whose ages were between 13years and 19 years. The statistical technique that was used to analyze data in this study was descriptive statistics. Results: Two hundred and two adolescents were recruited. This study revealed that depressive symptoms are common among female (62%) adolescents than their male counterparts (38%). Also, it was found that mild mood disturbance (23.8%) was the prevalent degree of depressive symptoms among the participants with 27% prevalence of depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Depressive symptoms are common in adolescents and unfortunately, they are unrecognized problems among adolescents which necessitate the need for recognition. In this wise, understanding the prevalence of adolescent depressive symptoms is important for developing appropriate screening strategies, treatment planning, and follow-up for those small proportion of adolescents who could become clinically depressed. There is need for proper understanding of the factors that influence depressive symptoms in order to reduce depressive symptoms among the adolescents.

Keywords: Prevalence, Depressive symptoms, Adolescents, Nigeria.