AFRICA: Depression Linked to Gender Stereotypes, Violence

Cases of anxiety and depression, two leading mental health illnesses, are on the rise among women in some African countries, thanks to the current difficulties in the economy, gender roles and violence, writes Arthur Okwemba. Findings of study done at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi by the African Mental Health Foundation shows that 42% of adults and 41% of children who went to the facility were diagnosed with depression. This likely reflects what is happening in other African countries.

Findings of study done at Kenyatta National Hospital in Nairobi by the African Mental Health Foundation shows that 42% of adults and 41% of children who went to the facility were diagnosed with depression. This likely reflects what is happening in other African countries.

Prof David Ndetei, a lecturer at the University of Nairobi and the lead researcher, says this depression was more prevalent in women than in men. Reasons vary, but he and other researchers say they can zero in on three main factors: gender roles, gender discrimination, and hormonal or reproductive health factors, which most people are unaware of.

Women experiencing infertility, those who experience sadness or anxiety after giving birth (especially when their male partners do not support them) and those steeped in poverty are more vulnerable to depression, according to the scientists. Studies show that couples, especially women, are under intense pressure from their partners and in-laws to give birth, and that blame falls squarely on the woman, even if the cause of infertility is the man. The resulting emotional, verbal, or physical abuse can push women into depression.
In South Africa, of 120 women participating in a 2005 study titled Psychological distress among women suffering from couple infertility in South Africa: a quantitative assessment, 14.5% said that their intimate partner had used physical violence against them. About 24% of the women, recruited from the infertility clinic at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, said they faced verbal and/or emotional abuse.

Another study in Zimbabwe involving 172 women found that 65% reported anxiety. The women interviewed complained of “thinking too much,” “deep sadness,” grief, fear, or having of an insoluble problem, as some of the causes of their anxiety. Further analysis suggests that men are the leading source of the difficulties women undergo.

Ndetei says cases of depression among women are likely to be high in African countries where living conditions are difficult and there are no support systems for women who need psychiatric help.

Society generally apportions more gender-specific roles to women than men, which doctors say tends to negatively affect women's health and productivity at the workplace, and in education and social circles. Such gender roles and social pressures can leave them stressed, which if not addressed leads to serious mental problems. This is even worse during difficult economic times.
“Many of the retrenchment programmes implemented by countries in sub-Saharan Africa in response to poor economic performance have affected those in lower cadres, which are predominantly occupied by women,” says Prof Ruth Oniang'o, a gender activist who advocates for women's economic empowerment in the Eastern African region.

Such stress affects women from different walks of life, in different ways. Interviews with single and unemployed women struggling to cater for food, clothes and education for their children suggests that many have high levels of anxiety. On the other hand, women working outside the home who are balancing professional duties with family demands are also constantly anxious for things to run smoothly both at the workplace and at home.

According to a study by Dr Frank Njega, Depression in Kenyan Professional Women, 22% of 86 women surveyed said they experienced depression. Another 30% said they were coping less well than they usually do. Gender-based stress at the workplace, which results from such problems as double standards and sexual harassment, combined with doing double-duty at the household level, can make life very stressful for a working woman, says Peter Lubao, a consultant counsellor.

In some cases, psychiatrists say gender discrimination, sexual violence and harassment causes women to develop anxiety or depressive disorders. Women usually lack appropriate channels to cope with their situations. For example, the 2009 study conducted by Gender Links, Glass Ceiling: Women and Men in Southern Africa Media, noted that sexual harassment is a serious concern in the media industry.

Says the study findings: “Media women across the region complained about being treated as sexual objects in media houses and men showed little appreciation and understanding of what is meant by sexual harassment.” Only 28% of media houses who participated in the Glass Ceiling study, for instance, said they have sexual harassment policies.

When it comes to hormones, some studies show that hormonal fluctuations during menstrual changes, puberty, and pregnancy produce different emotions and reactions in women, which can result in depression. However, little help is available for women to cope with these developments, and society has little understanding of mental health issues.

Gender advocates want information and education programmes initiated or enhanced, where they exist, to cushion women from anxiety and depression. African governments must recognise these mental health issues, and put in place legislation on gender based violence and family laws that would help to support women's rights and choices. There is a need to help women understand their mental health, and encourage treatment-seeking behaviours.
Men must also rethink how they treat women and be supportive partners. More and more men are participating in programmes to reshape society's gender stereotypes, but these are mostly urban based.

While physical violence continues to be prevalent in Africa, and needs urgent attention, there is also need to understand the mental health aspect of gender roles and gender based violence. Breaking free of depression and anxiety can be the first step for women to become fully aware of their own capabilities.