Factors associated with mental health problems among caregivers of under-five-year-old children in Kilifi county hospital in Kenya

The challenges of caring for young infants with diarrhea might significantly affect caregivers' mental health. It has been discovered that caregivers experience high levels of physical and mental stress, which raises psychological discomfort, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. This condition's severity increases significantly when healthcare and resources are limited. The factors associated with mental health of parents of children under five who were admitted to Kilifi County Hospital with diarrhea infections was investigated in this study. A cross-sectional study was carried out in a hospital, and 202 caregivers were systematically sampled using Fischer's formula and consecutive sampling procedure. They were surveyed using structured questionnaires, such as the GAD-7 for anxiety and the PHQ-9 for depression. The findings showed that elements related to the household showed statistically significant relationships with greater levels of stress (β = 2.02, p < 0.01), anxiety (β = 0.9, p = 0.02), and depression (β = 2.02, p < 0.01) when the number of rooms increased. Lower levels of stress (β = -4.55, p = 0.03), anxiety (β = -4.02, p = 0.01), and depression (β = -5.3, p < 0.01) were also substantially correlated with hand washing behaviors, higher family size and higher scores for stress (β = 1.67, p < 0.01), anxiety (β = 0.71, p < 0.01), and depression (β = 1.14, p < 0.01). Educational attainment: fathers with secondary education showed greater stress ratings (β = 2.97, p = 0.01), while women with secondary education had higher depression levels (β = 2.66, p < 0.01). In order to reduce the incidence of diarrhea, the study suggested that primary healthcare be improved by encouraging breastfeeding and rotavirus vaccinations. Additionally, it suggested using psychological assistance to treat high levels of anxiety and despair among caregivers in OPD settings.