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Background: Depression among adolescents has been recognized as a public health problem all over the world. In Nigeria, as in most developing countries, there is a need for more research on the epidemiology of adolescent depression as this will guide prevention, diagnosis and treatment. Objectives: The study sought to determine the one month prevalence and predictors of depression among a sample of in-school adolescents in a rural region in South West Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross sectional descriptive survey among 540 secondary school students randomly selected from the six secondary schools in the study area using a Socio demographic Questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire modified for Adolescents. Subsequently, a proportion of them were interviewed with the Kiddies Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia. Results: Data were analyzed using the SPSS version 17. Respondents were aged 10 -19 years (mean age was 14.07 ± 1.84). The one month prevalence of depression among the study population was 16.3% (using weighting method). Logistic regression analysis showed that death of a mother (OR = 11.786, 95% CI, 1.990 -23.184), being from a polygamous family (OR = 5.781, 95% CI, The one month prevalence of adolescent depression within the study population is slightly higher than what has been reported in other parts of the world. Therefore, there is a need for government to design and implement policies which can help to prevent, detect early, and treat depression among youths especially in rural areas.

BackgroundDefinitions of burden of care stress the effect of the patient's mental illness on the family. There are generally very few studies in this environment on caregiver burden in child/adolescent mental ill-health. This study aimed to identify patient and caregiver characteristics that are associated with caregiver burden.MethodCaregivers of patients attending the Child and Adolescent Clinic of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Lagos [n = 155] were consecutively recruited over a one-month period. The caregivers were administered a sociodemographic questionnaire, the General Health Questionnaire, Zarit Burden Interview, and the Columbia Impairment Scale. Scoring on the Children's Global Assessment Scale was done by clinicians.ResultsMost caregivers observed in this study were females (80.5%), with mothers of the patients accounting for 78% of all the caregivers. A higher percentage of the patients were males (52.8%). Moderate to severe/severe burden was recorded among 25.2% of caregivers. Factors associated with caregiver burden were patient's level of functioning [r = 0.489, p < 0.001], psychiatric morbidity in the caregiver [r = 0.709, p < 0.001], level of impairment as assessed by the caregiver [r = 0.545, p < 0.001], and child's level of education [t = 3.274, p = 0.001]. Each one independently predicted caregiver burden.ConclusionThe study reveals a high level of burden among the caregivers of children and adolescents with mental health problems.

Background Nigeria is considered to have the second highest number of people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) worldwide with a national HIV infection prevalence of 5.2% in children and adolescents. Adolescents with HIV-infection have been reported to be more prone to developing comorbid emotional difficulties including depression and suicidality compared to those without HIV-infection. This study is aimed at determining the prevalence and correlates of depression and suicidality in adolescents living with HIV infection. Methods Through a consecutive sampling method, two hundred and one adolescents attending HIV outpatient clinics in two tertiary hospital (Lagos state University Teaching Hospital and Nigerian Institute of Medical Research) were recruited. Confidentiality was assured and maintained. Suicidality and Depression were assessed with their corresponding modules in Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for children and adolescents (MINI-Kid) by researcher, while the independent variables were assessed using self-administered questionnaires. Data was analyzed with Statistical Package for Social Science version 20. Result The prevalence of current and lifetime major depressive episode, and suicidality were 16.9%, 44.8% and 35.3% respectively. Female gender, decreased cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count and high adverse childhood experience (ACE), were significantly associated with current depressive episode, while poor social support, high ACE, physical abuse, contacting HIV infection after birth and disclosure of status, were associated with lifetime major depressive episode. Factors associated with suicidality were high ACE score, physical abuse, and emotional abuse. After logistic regression analysis; gender, high ACE and CD4 level were independently associated with current major depression, while only poor social support and contracting HIV infection after birth, were independently associated with lifetime major depression. There was a positive correlation between suicidality and depression. Conclusion The presence of high rate of depression and suicidality among adolescents living with HIV-infection in the current study clearly shows the need for regular psychological assessment in these group of adolescents, and thus a strong indication for a multidisciplinary management in them.

Objective: To screen for psychiatric morbidity among caregivers of patients attending a child and adolescent psychiatric clinic. Method: A total of 155 patients and their caregivers were consecutively recruited over a 1 month period. Sociodemographic and clinical information on patients was obtained either from the hospital records or from the caregiver. Scoring on the Children's Global Assessment Scale (CGAS) was done by clinicians. The caregivers were administered a sociodemographic questionnaire, GHQ-12, Zarit Burden interview, and the Columbia Impairment Scale. Results: Most caregivers observed in this study were females (80.5%) with mothers of the patients accounting for 78% of all the caregivers. A higher percentage of the patients were males (52.8%). Among the caregivers, 39.4% had GHQ Scores of 3 and above. Factors associated with psychiatric morbidity among caregivers include the high level of subjective burden of care, low level of functioning, high degree of impairment and low level of education among patients. Conclusion: The study reveals a high level of psychiatric morbidity among the carers of children and adolescents with mental health problems.