Adolescent Students’ Knowledge of Depression and Appropriate Help-seeking in Nigeria

Aim: Globally, but even more remarkably in developing countries, many young people suffer from untreated depression despite the availability of evidence-based treatment. Utilisation of mental health resources is hinged on the recognition of symptoms and the need for appropriate help-seeking. There is a dearth of research on depression literacy among adolescents in Africa. This study assessed depression literacy in a sample of adolescent students in Lagos, Nigeria.

Study Design and Methodology: A cross-sectional survey of students (n=280) recruited from three senior secondary schools in Lagos, Nigeria. Depression literacy (recognition of depression and appropriate help-seeking) was assessed with a questionnaire containing a case vignette of depressive disorder based on the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 15.1(±1.6) years, and 54% were females. Depression was predominantly misidentified as physical illness (26.1%), ‘thinking too much’ (13.6%), stress (11.8%) emotional problems (14.3%) or reaction to maltreatment/abuse (15%). Only 10.4% of the respondents correctly identified that the vignette depicted depression. The commonly endorsed sources of help-seeking were counsellors (33.9%), General practitioners (43.9%) or parents/elders (15.0%), and only 6.5% recommended a mental health professional.

Conclusion: The findings indicate a critical need for interventions targeted at improving knowledge of depression and promote appropriate help-seeking among adolescents in Nigeria. Such interventions could facilitate early detection and prompt initiation of appropriate treatment, thereby minimising the treatment gap for depression.