Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress and associated risk factors among out-of-school girls in western Kenya.
<h4>Background</h4>Many adolescent girls drop out of school in sub-Saharan Africa. Mental health problems in this population and their risk factors are a neglected research area.<h4>Methods</h4>This community-based cross-sectional survey studied 904 out-of-school girls in rur...
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2025-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323362 |
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| author | Philip Spinhoven Susan Nungo Anna Maria van Eijk Elizabeth Nyothach Linda Mason David Obor Daniel Kwaro Penelope A Phillips-Howard Garazi Zulaika |
| author_facet | Philip Spinhoven Susan Nungo Anna Maria van Eijk Elizabeth Nyothach Linda Mason David Obor Daniel Kwaro Penelope A Phillips-Howard Garazi Zulaika |
| author_sort | Philip Spinhoven |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <h4>Background</h4>Many adolescent girls drop out of school in sub-Saharan Africa. Mental health problems in this population and their risk factors are a neglected research area.<h4>Methods</h4>This community-based cross-sectional survey studied 904 out-of-school girls in rural western Kenya. Outcome variables were a positive screen for anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-A), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; PCL-C), and a composite measure for overall symptom severity. Survey data were analysed with univariable and multivariable binary logistic and multiple linear regression analyses using SPSS 29.0.<h4>Findings</h4>The prevalence of probable anxiety was 10.6%, of probable depression 15.9%, and of probable PTSD 18.0%. One of the three items on suicidal ideation or past suicide attempt was reported by 40.2% of girls. In multivariable analyses controlling for age, fear of sexual assault and functional limitations due to menstruation were uniquely associated with each of the outcome variables, and exposure to physical violence to each outcome except anxiety. Other risk factors showed a less consistent relationship with outcome. The cross-sectional study design precludes any temporal and causal inference for the reported significant associations.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Out-of-school girls constitute a vulnerable group with high levels of PTSD and suicide risk. Multi-level and multi-sector interventions are needed to help these girls cope with their mental health problems and to address mutable risk factors such as gender-based partner and non-partner sexual and physical violence, poor menstrual hygiene, and poverty. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-43eff5f712474fbe8988f8e1b9edd9b7 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
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| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj-art-43eff5f712474fbe8988f8e1b9edd9b72025-08-20T01:54:21ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01205e032336210.1371/journal.pone.0323362Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress and associated risk factors among out-of-school girls in western Kenya.Philip SpinhovenSusan NungoAnna Maria van EijkElizabeth NyothachLinda MasonDavid OborDaniel KwaroPenelope A Phillips-HowardGarazi Zulaika<h4>Background</h4>Many adolescent girls drop out of school in sub-Saharan Africa. Mental health problems in this population and their risk factors are a neglected research area.<h4>Methods</h4>This community-based cross-sectional survey studied 904 out-of-school girls in rural western Kenya. Outcome variables were a positive screen for anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-A), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; PCL-C), and a composite measure for overall symptom severity. Survey data were analysed with univariable and multivariable binary logistic and multiple linear regression analyses using SPSS 29.0.<h4>Findings</h4>The prevalence of probable anxiety was 10.6%, of probable depression 15.9%, and of probable PTSD 18.0%. One of the three items on suicidal ideation or past suicide attempt was reported by 40.2% of girls. In multivariable analyses controlling for age, fear of sexual assault and functional limitations due to menstruation were uniquely associated with each of the outcome variables, and exposure to physical violence to each outcome except anxiety. Other risk factors showed a less consistent relationship with outcome. The cross-sectional study design precludes any temporal and causal inference for the reported significant associations.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Out-of-school girls constitute a vulnerable group with high levels of PTSD and suicide risk. Multi-level and multi-sector interventions are needed to help these girls cope with their mental health problems and to address mutable risk factors such as gender-based partner and non-partner sexual and physical violence, poor menstrual hygiene, and poverty.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323362 |
| spellingShingle | Philip Spinhoven Susan Nungo Anna Maria van Eijk Elizabeth Nyothach Linda Mason David Obor Daniel Kwaro Penelope A Phillips-Howard Garazi Zulaika Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress and associated risk factors among out-of-school girls in western Kenya. PLoS ONE |
| title | Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress and associated risk factors among out-of-school girls in western Kenya. |
| title_full | Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress and associated risk factors among out-of-school girls in western Kenya. |
| title_fullStr | Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress and associated risk factors among out-of-school girls in western Kenya. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress and associated risk factors among out-of-school girls in western Kenya. |
| title_short | Anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress and associated risk factors among out-of-school girls in western Kenya. |
| title_sort | anxiety depression and post traumatic stress and associated risk factors among out of school girls in western kenya |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0323362 |
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