Does disability modify the association between poor mental health and violence victimisation over adolescence? Evidence from the CoVAC cohort study in Uganda.

Journal: PLOS global public health

Volume: 4

Issue: 12

Year of Publication: 

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Population Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom. Raising Voices, Kampala, Uganda. Medical Research Council/Uganda Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda. Department of Medical Statistics, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom. Department of Social Policy and Intervention, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom. Institute of Education, University College London, London, United Kingdom.

Abstract summary 

We aimed to estimate the impact of poor mental health in early adolescence on subsequent poor mental health, depression, and violence victimisation in late adolescence and to determine whether young people living with disabilities experienced a stronger relationship between mental health and these outcomes. Data from two waves of a longitudinal cohort study of 2773 Ugandan adolescents were used to assess the impact of mental health difficulties in early adolescence (aged 11-14) on presence of subsequent mental health difficulties, depression and past year violence victimisation in later adolescence (aged 15-18). We used g-computation to examine how these outcomes changed dependent on levels of poor mental health in early adolescence and explored functional difficulties as an effect modifier. This study demonstrates high prevalence of mental health difficulties in adolescence. There is a positive association between mental health difficulties in early adolescence and experience of mental health difficulties, depression, and past year violence in later adolescence. The risk of poor outcomes is greater for individuals experiencing poorer mental health in early adolescence. The relationships between early mental health difficulties and both mental health difficulties in later adolescence and past year violence are stronger in young people with functional difficulties. Poor mental health in early adolescence is associated with depression and violence victimisation in later adolescence, and the association is stronger among adolescents living with disabilities. School-aged adolescents would benefit from violence prevention and mental health promotion interventions which are inclusive and engage and respond to the needs and rights of adolescents with disabilities.

Authors & Co-authors:  Carter Daniel J DJ Pitcairn Charlie F M CFM Eldred Emily E Knight Louise L Nakuti Janet J Mirembe Angel A Atuhaire Lydia L Allen Elizabeth E Bhatia Amiya A Naker Dipak D Parkes Jenny J Devries Karen K

Study Outcome 

Source Link: Visit source

Statistics
Citations :  Kessler RC, Amminger GP, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, Alonso J, Lee S, Ustün TB. Age of onset of mental disorders: a review of recent literature. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2007;20: 359–364. doi: 10.1097/YCO.0b013e32816ebc8c
Authors :  12
Identifiers
Doi : e0003827
SSN : 2767-3375
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Other Terms
Study Design
Cohort Study,Longitudinal Study
Study Approach
Country of Study
Uganda
Publication Country
United States