International Journal of Academic and Applied Research (IJAAR)   Year: 2023 | Volume: 7 | Issue: 10 | Page No.: 17-24 Factors perceived to influence the relapse of depression among patients receiving mental health services at Bwindi Community Hospital Download PDF Kisaakye Deborah, Kamugisha Robert, Yabin Ofumbi, Nahabwe Haven Abstract: Depression is one of the most common and seriously disabling mental health disorders worldwide. The World Health Organization through different approaches aims at achieving a sustained remitting phase. Despite this, relapses still occur quite rampantly in depressed patients. This study was aimed to determine factors perceived to influence the relapse of depression among patients receiving mental health services at Bwindi community hospital. The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study using convenience sampling technique that enrolled 40 participants. Data was collected using a researcher administered structured questionnaire, analyzed using STATA 18 and results presented in frequency tables. The health facility-related factors perceived to influence depression relapse included absence of mental health providers (100%) and lack of medications in the health facilities (95.0%) as the most prominent factors. The patient-related factors included patients not being on treatment (95.0%), poor social support (95.0%), stressful life events (95.0%) and poor drug adherence (92.5%). According to this study both individual related and health care related factors are perceived to contribute to the relapse of depression. Mental health programs should ensure medicine and qualified personnel availability, thorough patient education about the need for treatment and proper adherence and need for good social support like joining social groups.