Prevalence of Common Mental Disorders and Associated Factors Among Orphaned Children and Adolescents in Ethiopia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND: Common mental disorder such as depression and anxiety present significant challenges for orphaned children and adolescents, affecting a significant part of their life. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the pooled prevalence and associated factors of depression and anxiety disorder among orphaned children and adolescents in Ethiopia. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and African Journals Online from inception to November 2024. Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal checklist was used to evaluate the quality of studies that fulfill the eligible criteria. A random-effects model was applied to estimate the pooled effect size with its 95% confidence interval, and statistical analysis was conducted using Stata version 17.0. Several factors were significantly associated with depression, including not receiving counseling services (AOR = 3.27; 95% CI [1.43, 5.11]), experiencing social discrimination (AOR = 2.72; 95% CI [1.49, 3.96]), and being subjected to physical abuse (AOR = 2.90; 95% CI [1.66, 4.14]). CONCLUSIONS: There is a high prevalence of depression and anxiety among orphaned children and adolescents. Discrimination, lack of counseling, and physical abuse substantially increase the risk of depression among orphaned children and adolescents. These findings highlight an urgent need for targeted mental health services tailored to the unique challenges faced by orphaned children and adolescents.PROSPERO registration number: CRD42024605103.