Violence exposure, self-reported mental health concerns and use of alcohol and drugs for coping among youth in the slums of Kampala, Uganda
- 12 June 2022
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in International Journal of Mental Health
- Vol. 53 (1), 1-28
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00207411.2022.2073755
Abstract
This study aimed to (a) compute the prevalence of violence exposure types, polyvictimization, and self-reported depression, anxiety, and using substances to cope among youth ages 12–18 years living on the streets or in the slums of Kampala, Uganda, (b) examine the independent associations among orphan status, violence exposure types, and self-reported mental health concerns, and (c) explore the association between polyvictimization and mental health concerns. Data are from a 2014 cross-sectional survey of service-seeking youth ages 12–18 years (N = 1134) in Kampala, Uganda. Violence exposure types explored in this study were: witnessing family physical violence, direct physical abuse by a parent, any rape history, and physical dating violence. We used descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression to test study objectives. Over half of the sample (60.5%) reported experiencing at least one type of violence exposure; many youth endorsed self-reported depression (57.8%), anxiety (76.8%), and substance use to cope (37.0%). Exposure to violence was associated with higher odds for self-reported depression, anxiety, and using substances to cope. These findings underscore the urgent need to implement evidence-based interventions among this young, underserved population and their families to prevent violence, improve mental health outcomes, and promote resilience.This publication has 112 references indexed in Scilit:
- A Systematic Review of PTSD Prevalence and Trajectories in DSM-5 Defined Trauma Exposed Populations: Intentional and Non-Intentional Traumatic EventsPLOS ONE, 2013
- Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) for 291 diseases and injuries in 21 regions, 1990–2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010The Lancet, 2013
- Prevalence of psychological distress and mental disorders, and use of mental health services in the epidemiological catchment area of Montreal South-WestBMC Psychiatry, 2012
- Worry, worry attacks, and PTSD among Cambodian refugees: A path analysis investigationSocial Science & Medicine (1982), 2011
- Patterns of Community Violence Exposure During AdolescenceAmerican Journal of Community Psychology, 2010
- Interviewer effects in public health surveysHealth Education Research, 2009
- The Incidence and Course of Depression in Bereaved Youth 21 Months After the Loss of a Parent to Suicide, Accident, or Sudden Natural DeathAmerican Journal of Psychiatry, 2009
- Promoting child and adolescent mental health in low and middle income countriesJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2008
- Psychological distress amongst AIDS‐orphaned children in urban South AfricaJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2007
- Lifetime Prevalence and Age-of-Onset Distributions of DSM-IV Disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey ReplicationArchives of General Psychiatry, 2005