Peer-reviewed article

Maternal Depression and Its Association With Child Undernutrition in Urban Ethiopia.

Gebremelak S, Delbiso TD · 16 Jun 2026

Abstract

Maternal depression is one of several multidimensional factors that influence children's nutritional status. However, research in this area remains limited in urban poverty settings, where residents are often assumed to have better access to socioeconomic and health services. We estimated the prevalence of maternal depression and assessed its association with undernutrition among children aged 12-36 months of economically disadvantaged mothers in urban Ethiopia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect data from 627 mother-child pairs in selected urban areas of Ethiopia: Adama, Addis Ababa, Debre Birhan. Maternal depression was measured using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score, whereas child nutritional status was measured using anthropometric methods. Background characteristics of the study were summarized using percentages and averages. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the association between maternal depression and undernutrition, adjusting for confounders. The prevalence of maternal depression was 16.0% (95% CI: 13.3%-19.0%), while stunting among children aged 12-36 months was 52.7% (95% CI: 48.7%-56.7%). Maternal depression was significantly associated with child stunting after adjusting for covariates but showed no significant association with wasting or underweight. Children of mothers exhibiting depression symptoms had 2.21 times higher odds of being stunted (95% CI: 1.33-3.68) compared with those of nondepressed mothers. These findings underscore the critical need for integrated public health interventions that incorporate maternal mental health into child nutrition programs, alongside strengthened community advocacy and education on maternal mental health. Childcare support with income-generating activities for women can boost women's income, provide greater peace of mind, and support improved mental well-being.