Disability due to maternal common mental disorders (CMDs) as a risk factor for chronic childhood malnutrition: cross-sectional study

Abstract

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The disability associated with maternal common mental disorders (CMDs) is among the possible explanations for the association between chronic childhood malnutrition and CMDs. CMDs may impair the mother's ability to perform her role, particularly in deprived environments. The present study aimed to evaluate whether disability relating to CMDs could be part of the pathway of the association between childhood malnutrition and maternal CMDs. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study conducted in two institutions: one for malnourished children and another for eutrophic children living in a low-income community in the state of Alagoas, Brazil. METHOD: The cases consisted of 55 malnourished children aged from 12 to 60 months who were attending a nutritional rehabilitation center, with height-for-age z-scores < 2. The controls were 70 eutrophic children of the same age who were attending a day care center in the same area as the cases. The Self-Report Questionnaire made it possible to identify likely cases of maternal CMD. The Sheehan Disability Scale enabled evaluation of the associated disability. RESULTS: Chronic childhood malnutrition was significantly associated with maternal disability relating to CMDs (OR = 2.28; 95% CI: 1.02-5.1). The best logistic regression model using chronic childhood malnutrition as the dependent variable included the following independent variables: higher number of people living in the household; absence of the biological father from the household; and maternal disability relating to CMDs. CONCLUSIONS: If confirmed, the association between chronic childhood malnutrition and maternal disability relating to CMDs may be useful in helping to identify the causal chain between childhood malnutrition and maternal CMDs and to indicate environmental risk factors associated with chronic childhood malnutrition.

Common mental disorders in mothers of children attending out-patient malnutrition clinics in rural North-western Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

“…Hospitalisation in itself can presumably increase the risk for CMDs and might account for these observed differences. Other studies conducted in a similar context to ours have also described a higher prevalence of maternal mental disorders among malnourished children who were either in-patient or attended regular out-patient clinics [20,28,29]. A recent study in Sudan demonstrated mothers of admitted children with SAM had a greater prevalence of depression when compared to mothers of admitted well-nourished children [20].…”

“…A recent study in Sudan demonstrated mothers of admitted children with SAM had a greater prevalence of depression when compared to mothers of admitted well-nourished children [20]. A 2nd study conducted in Bostwana also found similar findings among mothers of children attending welfare clinics [28], while a Brazillian study described an association between stunting and CMDs [29]. As out-patient malnutrition treatment programs provide no maternal mental health support, our findings of a high maternal CMD burden in the studied out-patient malnutrition clinics suggest a need for possible integration of these services.…”

Maternal mental health and child nutritional status in an urban slum community in Bangladesh

“…Maternal mental health plays a major contributing role in child nutritional status (Ashaba, Rukundo, Beinempaka, Ntaro, & LeBlanc, 2015;Cavalcante-Neto, Paula, Florencio, & Miranda, 2016;Harpham, Huttly, De Silva, & Abramsky, 2005; Nguyen et al, 2014; Santos, Santos, Silva Rde, Hasselmann, & Barreto, 2011). Common mental disorders (CMD) such as anxiety, depression, somatic symptoms (Prince et al, 2007) are more frequent to occur among women than men (Steel et al, 2014).…”

“…When mother's mental health is compromised, it adversely affects child nutrition (Ashaba et al, 2015;Cavalcante-Neto et al, 2016;Harpham et al, 2005;Nguyen et al, 2014;Santos et al, 2011), interfering with mother's responsibility to child care (Surkan, Kennedy, Hurley, & Black, 2011). Maternal CMD affects mother's caregiving practices leading to improper feeding and inadequate health care for children especially immunization (Harpham et al, 2005;R.…”

Maternal Common Mental Disorders symptoms influence associated with early childhood dental caries: A cross‐sectional study in a southern Brazilian city

“…According to McLennan's study, mothers that presented a high level of depressive symptoms reported significantly poorer prevention practices for their children 4 . There are also studies that showed an increase in the chances of malnutrition in children whose mothers have mental health problems 5,6 . Furthermore, breastfeeding and mother‐infant attachment can also be damage by mental illnesses 7…”