MAGNITUDE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS OF DEPRESSION AMONG ADULTS CHRONIC SKIN DISEASE AT TERTIARY HOSPITALS IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Kidist Gezahegn, Teshome Habte Wurjine*, Zeleke Argaw and Workinesh Sinishaw

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with depression in adults suffering from chronic skin diseases in Tertiary hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: An institution-based crosssectional study was conducted with 314 participants from outpatient dermatology clinics across three randomly selected Tertiary hospitals. Data were gathered using a semi-structured questionnaire, and both bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify associations, with a significance threshold set at p < 0.05. Results: The study revealed a depression prevalence of 32.8% among these adults. Significant associations with depression were identified, particularly with female sex, younger age, monthly income, a family history of mental illness, and body image disturbance. Conclusion and Recommendations: The findings underscore the critical nature of depression in adults with chronic skin diseases and highlight key risk factors. The study advocates for regular depression screenings at care points, the formation of multidisciplinary teams that include dermatologists and mental health professionals, and the development of mental health policies tailored to the needs of this patient population.