Contraceptive use and mental health among women of reproductive age: insights from the Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey
Background Contraceptive use among women of reproductive age has increased significantly worldwide. However, little is known about contraceptive use and mental health among women in sub-Saharan African countries. Aims This study sought to investigate contraceptive use and self-reported measures...
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Cambridge University Press
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| Series: | BJPsych International |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056474025100457/type/journal_article |
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| author | Emmanuel Anongeba Anaba Melissa E. Wright Stanley Kofi Alor Madison Lindeman Yula Salifu Samuel Adjorlolo Adom Manu |
| author_facet | Emmanuel Anongeba Anaba Melissa E. Wright Stanley Kofi Alor Madison Lindeman Yula Salifu Samuel Adjorlolo Adom Manu |
| author_sort | Emmanuel Anongeba Anaba |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Background
Contraceptive use among women of reproductive age has increased significantly worldwide. However, little is known about contraceptive use and mental health among women in sub-Saharan African countries.
Aims
This study sought to investigate contraceptive use and self-reported measures of depression and anxiety symptoms among reproductive-age women in Mozambique using the most recent national data.
Method
The study used secondary data from the 2022–2023 Demographic and Health Survey of Mozambique. A total of 6910 (weighted) sexually active women aged 15–49 years were included in this analysis. Anxiety and depression scores were measured using self-report questionnaires. Linear regression analysis was conducted to assess the associations between depression and anxiety and contraceptive use.
Results
The prevalence of contraceptive use was 36.41%. About half of the hormonal contraceptive users (49.38%) were using injectables and 25.99% were using implants. In total, 9.14 and 2.83% of the women had moderate or high scores of self-reported anxiety respectively. Additionally, 5.24 and 5.42% reported moderate or high scores of depressive symptoms respectively. The use of hormonal contraceptives decreased anxiety symptoms by 0.47 units (β = −0.47; 95% CI −0.75 to −0.18; P < 0.001) compared with no contraceptive use. The use of hormonal contraceptives decreased depressive symptoms by 0.75 units (β = −0.75; 95% CI −1.11 to −0.39; P < 0.001) compared with no contraceptive use.
Conclusions
This study has demonstrated a naturalistic association between contraceptive use, particularly hormonal contraceptives, and decreased anxiety and depression among Mozambican women of reproductive age. This likely reflects a complex, bi-directional relationship, the nature and mechanism of which should be investigated in further experimental research.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b344bed09ddb4c7b8f804e0c4f7b2bea |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2056-4740 2058-6264 |
| language | English |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BJPsych International |
| spelling | doaj-art-b344bed09ddb4c7b8f804e0c4f7b2bea2025-08-20T03:17:32ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych International2056-47402058-62641710.1192/bji.2025.10045Contraceptive use and mental health among women of reproductive age: insights from the Mozambique Demographic and Health SurveyEmmanuel Anongeba Anaba0Melissa E. Wright1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2744-4504Stanley Kofi Alor2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3436-0958Madison Lindeman3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0578-2182Yula Salifu4Samuel Adjorlolo5Adom Manu6Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaCardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UKGhana Armed Forces College of Nursing and Midwifery 37 Military Hospital, Accra, Ghana. Email:School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UKDepartment of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaDepartment of Mental Health, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, Legon, GhanaDepartment of Population, Family and Reproductive Health, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana Background Contraceptive use among women of reproductive age has increased significantly worldwide. However, little is known about contraceptive use and mental health among women in sub-Saharan African countries. Aims This study sought to investigate contraceptive use and self-reported measures of depression and anxiety symptoms among reproductive-age women in Mozambique using the most recent national data. Method The study used secondary data from the 2022–2023 Demographic and Health Survey of Mozambique. A total of 6910 (weighted) sexually active women aged 15–49 years were included in this analysis. Anxiety and depression scores were measured using self-report questionnaires. Linear regression analysis was conducted to assess the associations between depression and anxiety and contraceptive use. Results The prevalence of contraceptive use was 36.41%. About half of the hormonal contraceptive users (49.38%) were using injectables and 25.99% were using implants. In total, 9.14 and 2.83% of the women had moderate or high scores of self-reported anxiety respectively. Additionally, 5.24 and 5.42% reported moderate or high scores of depressive symptoms respectively. The use of hormonal contraceptives decreased anxiety symptoms by 0.47 units (β = −0.47; 95% CI −0.75 to −0.18; P < 0.001) compared with no contraceptive use. The use of hormonal contraceptives decreased depressive symptoms by 0.75 units (β = −0.75; 95% CI −1.11 to −0.39; P < 0.001) compared with no contraceptive use. Conclusions This study has demonstrated a naturalistic association between contraceptive use, particularly hormonal contraceptives, and decreased anxiety and depression among Mozambican women of reproductive age. This likely reflects a complex, bi-directional relationship, the nature and mechanism of which should be investigated in further experimental research. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056474025100457/type/journal_articleContraceptive usedepressionanxietydemographic and health surveyMozambique |
| spellingShingle | Emmanuel Anongeba Anaba Melissa E. Wright Stanley Kofi Alor Madison Lindeman Yula Salifu Samuel Adjorlolo Adom Manu Contraceptive use and mental health among women of reproductive age: insights from the Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey BJPsych International Contraceptive use depression anxiety demographic and health survey Mozambique |
| title | Contraceptive use and mental health among women of reproductive age: insights from the Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey |
| title_full | Contraceptive use and mental health among women of reproductive age: insights from the Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey |
| title_fullStr | Contraceptive use and mental health among women of reproductive age: insights from the Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey |
| title_full_unstemmed | Contraceptive use and mental health among women of reproductive age: insights from the Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey |
| title_short | Contraceptive use and mental health among women of reproductive age: insights from the Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey |
| title_sort | contraceptive use and mental health among women of reproductive age insights from the mozambique demographic and health survey |
| topic | Contraceptive use depression anxiety demographic and health survey Mozambique |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056474025100457/type/journal_article |
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