Assessing Depression in Jamaican Males: Post-COVID-19

Authors

  • Paul Andrew Bourne Department of Institutional Research, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Ashley Williamson Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Avery Gran Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Shimona Mullings Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Sharelle Sanderson Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Shaunna-Kay Spence Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • James Fallah Department of Dental Hygiene, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI
  • Calvin Campbell Department of Mathematics and Engineering, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Clifton Foster Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Caroline McLean Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Tabitha Muchee Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.
  • Advella L. Meikle Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica, WI.

Abstract

Depression is a common mental illness and a major cause of disability across the globe. The World Health Organization indicated that it affects approximately 3.8% of the world’s population, which accounts for 280 million persons, 5% of the adult population and 5.7% of the elderly population. Although treatment of depression is lower for males than females because of their healthcare hesitancy, depression is still a female phenomenon. For males, depression rates are quite lower in comparison to females. The main objectives of this study are to: 1) use the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) to assess the level of depression in Jamaican Males post-COVID-19, and 2) determine the rate of suicide among Jamaican males using the Hamilton depression rating scale.

A national cross-sectional web-based study design and a standardized web-based questionnaire designed by Dr Max Hamilton were used for this study. The sample size was determined based on Jamaica's male population for 2018 (i.e., 985,611 males 18+ years old), with a 3% margin of error, and a 95% confidence level. The study employed a stratified multistage probability sampling design to retrieve data from thousand, sixty-six (1066) male respondents from all the parishes in Jamaica. This study revealed that 52.7% of Jamaican males experienced varying degrees of depression post-COVID-19. Furthermore, also found that 1.1% of the sampled Jamaican males have attempted suicide, 3.4% have had suicidal thoughts, 5.1% wished they were dead, and 24.6% feel life is not worth living. The study has brought a preview of the mental health challenges experienced by Jamaican males, and this speaks to a silent killer that is been nurtured in the minds of these individuals. COVID-19 continues to linger with people and mental health conditions that it has created have a short-to-long-term effect on Jamaican men.

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Published

2022-07-20

Issue

Vol. 6 No. 2 (2022): International Journal of Recent Advances in Psychology & Psychotherapy [ISSN: 2581-4052]

Section

Articles