Disparities in Postpartum Depression Among Urban and Rural Mothers in Hadiya Zone Shashogo District Southern Ethiopia Community-Based Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a nonpsychotic depressive state that begins after childbirth. In Ethiopia, there was limited evidence about the prevalence and factors associated with PPD in terms of residence.

Objective: To assess disparities in PPD among urban and rural mothers in the Shashogo district, Hadiya zone southern Ethiopia 2022.

Methods: Community-based comparative cross-sectional study design was employed from May 3 to July 3, 2022. A sample size of 556 (185 from urban and 371 from rural) was calculated using a double population proportion approach and mothers in the postpartum period were randomly selected from both urban and rural settings using stratification followed by single stage and the systematic random sampling method. Data were gathered by trained data collectors using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS Version 25. Statistical significance was declared at a P value of < .05.

Results: One hundred forty-four (26.6%) mothers in the postpartum period with 95%CI [23-30] were depressed, of which 37 (19.8%) with 95% CI [14-26] in urban and 107 (30%) with 95% CI [25-35] found in a rural setting. Unplanned pregnancy, low maternal social support, assisted delivery, no antenatal care (ANC) follow-up, no postnatal care (PNC) follow-up, and low household income were independent predictors of PPD in rural residence whereas unplanned pregnancy, low maternal social support, assisted delivery, and antenatal depression were independent predictor of PPD in urban.

Conclusion: PPD was found to be high in the study area as compared to national/global burden. Unplanned pregnancy, low maternal social support, and assisted delivery were predictors for both urban and rural. Low income, no ANC, and PNC follow-up were associated with PPD in rural settings only whereas antenatal depression is a predictor of PPD in urban settings.