Self- reported antidepressant medication side effects and its associated factors in patients with major depressive disorder in Northeast Nigeria

Abstract

Personal experience of side effects with antidepressant medicines has a major impact on treatment continuation as it directly influences medication adherence. The aim of this study was to assess self-reported antidepressant side effects and associated factors in patients with major depressive disorders at a tertiary health facility in North east Nigeria. A cross sectional study involving 101 participants was conducted at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Maiduguri from September 2019 to November 2019. Data were gathered using a data collecting form and interviews with respondents. Most of the patients (51.50%) were prescribed the tricyclic class of antidepressants, especially amitriptyline. About 59.4% of the study participants reported some side effects they attributed to their medications. The most commonly reported side effects were headache (19.90%), sleeplessness (19.90%), palpitation (19.90%) and sedation (13.40%). Factors such as; being male (p=0.044, OR= 3.36), having no formal education (p=0.005, OR=4.3) and being unemployed (p=0.029, OR=3) were found to be associated with self report of antidepressant medication side effects among the study participants. In conclusion, self -reported medication side effects are highly prevalent in patients with major depressive disorder in this study site. The most commonly reported side effects were headache, sleeplessness, sedation and palpitation.Socio-demographic factors such as being male, having just primary or no formal level of education and being unemployed were found to be significantly associated to self report of antidepressant side effects in these patients.

Keywords: Antidepressants, Medication side effects, Major depressive disorder, Nigeria