OBJECTIVE: This pilot study was conducted to find out the socioeconomic factors leading to depression in married females of district Ghizar, Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan.METHODS: The study was conducted at District Headquarter Hospital Gahkuch, Ghizar from November 2015 to February 2016.Depression was diagnosed using Diagnostic Cable Connector and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV) criterion and socioeconomic status was assessed by a self-designed questionnaire.
Analysis was performed with SPSS version-23.RESULTS: Out of 73 females, 53 (72.6%) were depressed according to DSM-IV.
Majority of women were uneducated (n=23; 31.5%).Most females were married (n=50; 68.
5%) followed by divorced females (n=8; 11%).Sixty-one (83%) women had arranged marriage.Majority of women (n=43; 58.
9%) were housewives.Most females (n=37; 50.7%) had non-cordial relations with in-laws.
Domestic violence was reported by (n=41; 56.2%) women.Sixty-one (83.
5%) women had land ownership of some kind.Women who were Gardening Bag married within the family (OR 1.386, CI.
837-2.292), presence of depression in husband (OR 3.530, CI.
933-13.359), non-cordial relation of women with in-laws (OR 3.657, CI 1.
979-6.755) and domestic violence (OR 3.584, CI 0.
717-17.921) were significantly associated with depression.CONCLUSION: Majority of the females had no cordial relations with in-laws, more than half had history of domestic abuse.
Marriages outside family had inverse relation with depression.Depression in husband and bad relationship of women with in-laws were strong predictors for depression in married females of district Ghizar, Gilgit Baltistan.Small sample size and hospital-based study were the main limitations of the study.