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Research article
Proscovia Nabunya
Washington University in Saint Louis
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9088-5839
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), adolescent girls and young women are three times more likely than boys to have depressive disorders. Understanding adolescents’ unique and common vulnerabilities and protective factors is essential for the development of appropriate interventions and programming focused on child and adolescent mental health. This paper examines the prevalence and predictors of depressive symptoms among high school adolescent girls in southern Uganda.
Methods: Baseline data from a longitudinal cluster randomized study involving 1260 adolescent girls (14–17 years), recruited from 47 secondary schools were utilized. Depressive symptoms were estimated using the 21-item Beck’s Depression Inventory. Hierarchical linear regression modelling was utilized to estimate key predictors of depressive symptoms among adolescent girls.
Results: Of the total sample, 16.35% (n=206) reported severe depressive symptoms and almost one in every three adolescent girls interviewed (29.68%, n=374) reported moderate symptoms. These symptoms were more prevalent among older adolescents (16 years and above). In addition, family relationships, social support, as well as measures of psychological wellbeing (self-concept and self-esteem) were all associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Hopelessness was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms among adolescent girls.
Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate a high prevalence of depressive symptoms, especially among older adolescent girls. In addition, family support factors and adolescents’ psychological wellbeing were associated with low levels of depressive symptoms –pointing to the need to strengthen family functioning and adolescent’s psychological wellbeing to mitigate risks. Taken together, findings support increasing calls for early screening and detection of depressive symptoms to facilitate timely referral to care and treatment. Findings may also inform the development and incorporation of gender-specific mental health components in programming targeting adolescent girls, in low-resource communities in SSA.
Trial Registration: This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (registration
number: NCT03307226) on 11 October 2017.
Keywords
Depressive symptoms, Prevalence, Adolescent girls, Uganda, Mental health
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 18 Nov, 2020
Editor assigned
On 14 Nov, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 14 Nov, 2020
Editor invited
On 14 Nov, 2020
Version 3
Posted 16 Oct, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 01 Nov, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 31 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 12 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 11 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 11 Oct, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 06 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 05 Oct, 2020
Editor invited
On 05 Oct, 2020
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 03 Oct, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 03 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 14 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 05 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 01 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 24 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 23 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 22 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 22 Aug, 2020
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 23 May, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 23 May, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 08 May, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 02 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 27 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 27 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 27 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 16 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 15 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 15 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 13 Apr, 2020
Version (no preprint)
Posted 24 Apr, 2020
Review #4 received
Received 30 Jul, 2020
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 30 Jul, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 24 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 09 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 04 Jul, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 27 Jun, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 06 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 06 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 06 Jun, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 06 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 01 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 31 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 31 May, 2020
This version was not preprinted
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A new preprint design is coming!
We have improved readability, clarity, accessibility, and opportunities for engagement.
See the published version of this preprint at BMC Public Health.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Proscovia Nabunya
Washington University in Saint Louis
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9088-5839
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Accept
On 18 Nov, 2020
Editor assigned
On 14 Nov, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 14 Nov, 2020
Editor invited
On 14 Nov, 2020
Version 3
Posted 16 Oct, 2020
No comments provided
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 01 Nov, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 31 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 12 Oct, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 11 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 11 Oct, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 10 Oct, 2020
Editor assigned
On 06 Oct, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 05 Oct, 2020
Editor invited
On 05 Oct, 2020
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 03 Oct, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 03 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 14 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 05 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 01 Sep, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 24 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 23 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 22 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 22 Aug, 2020
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 23 May, 2020
Editorial decision: Minor revision
On 23 May, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 08 May, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 02 May, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 27 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 27 Apr, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 27 Apr, 2020
Editor assigned
On 16 Apr, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 15 Apr, 2020
Editor invited
On 15 Apr, 2020
First submitted
On 13 Apr, 2020
Version (no preprint)
Posted 24 Apr, 2020
Review #4 received
Received 30 Jul, 2020
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 30 Jul, 2020
Review #3 received
Received 24 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 09 Jul, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 04 Jul, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 27 Jun, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 06 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 06 Jun, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 06 Jun, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 06 Jun, 2020
Editor assigned
On 01 Jun, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 31 May, 2020
Editor invited
On 31 May, 2020
This version was not preprinted
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Public Health.
Background: In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), adolescent girls and young women are three times more likely than boys to have depressive disorders. Understanding adolescents’ unique and common vulnerabilities and protective factors is essential for the development of appropriate interventions and programming focused on child and adolescent mental health. This paper examines the prevalence and predictors of depressive symptoms among high school adolescent girls in southern Uganda.
Methods: Baseline data from a longitudinal cluster randomized study involving 1260 adolescent girls (14–17 years), recruited from 47 secondary schools were utilized. Depressive symptoms were estimated using the 21-item Beck’s Depression Inventory. Hierarchical linear regression modelling was utilized to estimate key predictors of depressive symptoms among adolescent girls.
Results: Of the total sample, 16.35% (n=206) reported severe depressive symptoms and almost one in every three adolescent girls interviewed (29.68%, n=374) reported moderate symptoms. These symptoms were more prevalent among older adolescents (16 years and above). In addition, family relationships, social support, as well as measures of psychological wellbeing (self-concept and self-esteem) were all associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms. Hopelessness was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms among adolescent girls.
Conclusion: Findings from this study indicate a high prevalence of depressive symptoms, especially among older adolescent girls. In addition, family support factors and adolescents’ psychological wellbeing were associated with low levels of depressive symptoms –pointing to the need to strengthen family functioning and adolescent’s psychological wellbeing to mitigate risks. Taken together, findings support increasing calls for early screening and detection of depressive symptoms to facilitate timely referral to care and treatment. Findings may also inform the development and incorporation of gender-specific mental health components in programming targeting adolescent girls, in low-resource communities in SSA.
Trial Registration: This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (registration
number: NCT03307226) on 11 October 2017.
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
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