Factors associated with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation and behaviours amongst sub-Saharan African adolescents aged 10-19 years: cross-sectional study
- PMID: 31698526
- DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13336
Factors associated with depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation and behaviours amongst sub-Saharan African adolescents aged 10-19 years: cross-sectional study
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed to determine the burden of depression, suicidal ideation and suicidal behaviour amongst adolescents at sites in six sub-Saharan African countries and examine associated risk and protective factors.
Methods: Household-based cross-sectional study involving male and female adolescents ages 10-19 years. A total of 7,662 adolescents from eight sites in six countries participated in the survey. Three sites were urban: Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Harar (Ethiopia) and Ibadan (Nigeria); five were rural: Dodoma (Tanzania), Iganga/Mayuge (Uganda), Kersa (Ethiopia), Ningo Prampram (Ghana) and Nouna (Burkina Faso). Log-binomials models were used to estimate relative risks and confidence intervals for factors associated with depression and suicidal behaviour. This was supplemented using log-Poisson models as needed.
Results: The prevalence of suicidal behaviour over the last 12 months ranged between 1.2% and 12.4% in the eight sites. Depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation/behaviours were associated with older age, female sex, food insecurity, poor access to health care and substance use. Depression was strongly associated with increased risk of suicidal behaviour at two sites where the multivariate model converged: Harar, Ethiopia (RR = 3.5, 95% CI 1.8, 7.0, P < 0.05) and Ibadan, Nigeria (RR = 3.7, 95% CI 2.2, 6.3, P < 0.0001).
Conclusions: Depressive symptoms and suicidal behaviour are common amongst sub-Saharan African adolescents at these 8 sites. Most factors associated with depressive symptoms are modifiable and preventable. Routine screening for depressive symptoms in services frequented by adolescents in these and similar communities would be crucial in early detection and prompt intervention.
Objectif: Cette étude visait à déterminer la charge de morbidité de la dépression, des idées suicidaires et du comportement suicidaire chez les adolescents sur des sites dans six pays d’Afrique subsaharienne et examiner les facteurs de risque et de protection associés. MÉTHODES: Etude transversale réalisée auprès des ménages sur des adolescents masculins et féminins âgés de 10 à 19 ans. 7.662 adolescents de huit sites dans six pays ont participé à l'enquête. Trois sites étaient en zones urbaines: Dar es Salaam (Tanzanie), Harar (Ethiopie) et Ibadan (Nigéria); cinq étaient en zones rurales: Dodoma (Tanzanie), Iganga/Mayuge (Ouganda), Kersa (Ethiopie), Ningo Prampram (Ghana) et Nouna (Burkina Faso). Des modèles de logarithme binomial ont été utilisés pour estimer les risques relatifs et les intervalles de confiance pour les facteurs associés à la dépression et au comportement suicidaire. Cela a été complété à l'aide de modèles log-Poisson lorsque nécessaire. RÉSULTATS: La prévalence des comportements suicidaires au cours des 12 derniers mois variait entre 1,2% et 12,4% dans les huit sites. Les symptômes dépressifs et les idées/comportements suicidaires étaient associés à l'âge plus avancé, au sexe féminin, à l'insécurité alimentaire, au faible accès aux soins de santé et à la toxicomanie. La dépression était fortement associée à un risque accru de comportement suicidaire sur deux sites où il y avait une convergence dans le modèle multivarié: Harar, en Ethiopie (RR = 3,5; IC95%: 1,8-7,0; P < 0,05) et Ibadan, au Nigéria (RR = 3,7; IC95%: 2,2-6,3; P < 0,0001).
Conclusions: Les symptômes dépressifs et les comportements suicidaires sont fréquents chez les adolescents africains subsahariens de ces 8 sites. La plupart des facteurs associés aux symptômes dépressifs sont modifiables et évitables. Le dépistage de routine des symptômes dépressifs dans les services fréquentés par les adolescents dans ces communautés et dans des communautés similaires serait crucial pour la détection précoce et une intervention rapide.
Keywords: ARISE; Afrique subsaharienne; adolescents; comportement suicidaire; depressive symptoms; sub-Saharan Africa; suicidal behaviour; symptômes dépressifs.
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Similar articles
-
The age of opportunity: prevalence of key risk factors among adolescents 10-19 years of age in nine communities in sub-Saharan Africa.Trop Med Int Health. 2020 Jan;25(1):15-32. doi: 10.1111/tmi.13339. Epub 2019 Nov 28. Trop Med Int Health. 2020. PMID: 31698531
-
Food insecurity, mental distress and suicidal ideation in rural Africa: Evidence from Nigeria, Uganda and Ghana.Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2019 Feb;65(1):20-27. doi: 10.1177/0020764018814274. Epub 2018 Nov 27. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2019. PMID: 30479180 Free PMC article.
-
Gender differences in nutritional status, diet and physical activity among adolescents in eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa.Trop Med Int Health. 2020 Jan;25(1):33-43. doi: 10.1111/tmi.13330. Epub 2019 Nov 28. Trop Med Int Health. 2020. PMID: 31693777
-
Prevalence of Depression, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidal Ideation Among Medical Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JAMA. 2016 Dec 6;316(21):2214-2236. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.17324. JAMA. 2016. PMID: 27923088 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Depressive symptomatology in pregnant adolescents: considerations for care.Curr Opin Pediatr. 2023 Aug 1;35(4):415-422. doi: 10.1097/MOP.0000000000001250. Epub 2023 Mar 29. Curr Opin Pediatr. 2023. PMID: 36988280 Review.
Cited by
-
A profound absence of counseling interventions for suicide prevention among youth in Africa: A call to action based on an empty scoping review.Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2024 Apr;54(2):296-301. doi: 10.1111/sltb.13041. Epub 2024 Jan 12. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2024. PMID: 38214345 Review.
-
Depressive symptoms among adolescents in six sub-Saharan African countries: A pooled analysis of associated factors.Prev Med Rep. 2023 Nov 7;36:102499. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102499. eCollection 2023 Dec. Prev Med Rep. 2023. PMID: 38116275 Free PMC article.
-
The Trends of Suicidality Over the Past 10 Years (1999-2022) in the Ethiopian General Population and the Way Forward in Tackling It.Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2023 Aug 14;16:3231-3236. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S419426. eCollection 2023. Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2023. PMID: 37599797 Free PMC article.
-
The influence of depressive symptoms and school-going status on risky behaviors: a pooled analysis among adolescents in six sub-Saharan African countries.Front Psychiatry. 2023 Jul 24;14:1171231. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1171231. eCollection 2023. Front Psychiatry. 2023. PMID: 37555002 Free PMC article.
-
Resilience to depression: the role of benevolent childhood experiences in a South African sample.Front Psychol. 2023 Jul 21;14:1209504. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1209504. eCollection 2023. Front Psychol. 2023. PMID: 37546432 Free PMC article.
References
-
- WHO. Global Accelerated Action for the Health of Adolescents (AA-HA!): guidance to support country implementation [Internet]. WHO. (Available from: http://www.who.int/maternal_child_adolescent/topics/adolescence/framewor...) [10 Nov 2017]
-
- Patton GC, Coffey C, Sawyer SM et al. Global patterns of mortality in young people: a systematic analysis of population health data. The Lancet 2009: 374: 881-892.
-
- Blum RW. Young people: not as healthy as they seem. The Lancet 2009: 374: 853-854.
-
- Kabiru CW, Izugbara CO, Beguy D. The health and wellbeing of young people in sub-Saharan Africa: an under-researched area? BMC International Health and Human Rights 2013: 13: 11.
-
- Blum RW, Bastos FIPM, Kabiru CW, Le LC. Adolescent health in the 21st century. The Lancet 2012: 379: 1567-1568.
Publication types
MeSH terms
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical