Correlates of generalized anxiety disorder and depression among adults in Jigawa State, northwest Nigeria

Objective: This study examined the prevalence of anxiety, low mental well-being, loneliness, depression, and insomnia among older adults in a district of western Nepal and identified factors associated with each of these conditions. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Dang, Nepal from August 2023 to January 2024 among adults aged 60 years or older using purposive sampling technique (n = 814). Validated tools were used to assess each mental health conditions. Multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to identify factors associated with each condition. Results: Five percent of older adults had low mental well-being, 7.25% experienced loneliness, 14.13% showed signs of general anxiety disorder (GAD), 6.58% had depression, and 1.97% had insomnia. Older adults of Dalit ethnicity, those with chronic illnesses, and those with a family history of mental illness had a disproportionately higher odds of developing one or more mental health conditions compared with their counterparts. Conclusion: Mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, sleep difficulties and loneliness, and low mental well-being were less prevalent in Dang compared to previous studies in Nepal, and were associated with caste, chronic illnesses, and family history of mental illnesses. These findings highlight the need for targeted mental health screening and culturally sensitive interventions-such as community-based programs that acknowledge caste-based stigma, strengthen family and social support systems, and integrate local language counseling- to address mental health needs of vulnerable older adults. Future nationally representative studies are needed to provide a broader understanding of mental health among older adults in Nepal.

Nursing students’ perception and attitude about illnesses play a major role in providing healthcare for suffering patients. Existing literature suggests that these students perceive mental illnesses in both positive and negative manner; however, the perception towards chronic medical conditions showed variation. Hence, our study attempted to identify whether there is a significant difference in the attitude towards mental illness and chronic medical conditions.To study the attitude and regard towards mental illness among nursing students and compare with chronic medical conditions (diabetes mellitus and tuberculosis).This is a cross-sectional study conducted among final year nursing students who had finished both theory and clinical postings in psychiatry. One hundred and fifty-seven students consented to take part in the study. Sociodemographic details, Attitude Scale for Mental Illness (ASMI), and Medical Condition Regard Scale (MCRS) were used in this study.Overall, 11.46% of the students had experienced mental illness at some point in time and 22.29% had family history of mental illness. The nursing students had significant positive attitude towards mental illness in three of the six domains: benevolence (27.20), restrictiveness (9.48), and stigmatisation (9.83). Although few mean values were higher among individual items for diabetes mellitus and tuberculosis, there was no significant difference between the overall MCRS scores for mental illnesses and diabetes mellitus (p=0.14) and tuberculosis (p=0.07).The general attitude of nursing students towards mental illness and chronic medical conditions (diabetes mellitus and tuberculosis) were comparable. Further studies need to focus on the various aspects of stigma/attitude towards mental illnesses among nursing students.

BackgroundDepression is predicted to become one of the two most burdensome diseases worldwide by 2020 and is common in people with chronic physical conditions. However, depression is relatively uncommon in Asia. Family support is an important Asian cultural value that we hypothesized could protect people with chronic physical conditions from developing depression. We investigated depressive symptom prevalence and risk factors in a Chinese sample with chronic medical conditions, focusing on the possible protective role of family relationships.MethodsData were obtained from the Hong Kong Jockey Club FAMILY Project cohort study in 2009–2011, which included 6,195 participants (age ≥15) with self-reported chronic conditions. Depressive symptoms were recorded using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Demographic and lifestyle variables, stressful life events, perceived family support and neighborhood cohesion were assessed. Factors associated with a non-somatic (PHQ-6) depression score were also examined.ResultsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 scores ≥5) was 17% in those with one or more chronic conditions, and was more prevalent in women than in men (19.7% vs. 13.9%; p < 0.001). In multilevel analyses, life stress, number of chronic conditions and satisfaction with family support explained 43% of the variance in PHQ-9 scores (standardized regression coefficients of 0.46, 0.15, and −0.12 respectively, all p <0.001). Body mass index, problem alcohol drinking, physical activity, and unmarried status were significantly associated with PHQ-9 scores, although these associations were weak. Variables associated with depression explained 35% of the variance in non-somatic (PHQ-6) depression scores. Satisfaction with family support played a stronger protective role against depressive symptoms (both PHQ-9 and PHQ-6 scores) among women than men (p < 0.05).ConclusionsAcute life stress and the number of chronic conditions, together with socio-demographic factors, explain most variance in depressive symptoms among chronically ill Chinese individuals. Somatic items in the PHQ-9 increased the depression scores but they did not alter the pattern of predictors. Family support appears to be an important protective factor in Chinese cultures for individuals with chronic conditions.

People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at increased risk of developing co-occurring mental health difficulties across the lifespan. Exposure to adverse life events and parental mental health difficulties are known risk factors for developing a range of mental health difficulties. This study investigates the association of adverse life events, parental stress and mental health with emotional and behavioral problems in young adults with ASD. One hundred and fifteen young adults with ASD derived from a population-based longitudinal study were assessed at three time-points (12-, 16-, and 23-year) on questionnaire measures of emotional and behavioral problems. Parent-reported exposure to adverse life events and parental stress/mental health were measured at age 23. We used structural equation modeling to investigate the stability of emotional and behavioral problems over time, and the association between adverse life events and parental stress and mental health and emotional and behavioral outcomes at 23-year. Our results indicate that exposure to adverse life events was significantly associated with increased emotional and behavioral problems in young adults with ASD, while controlling for symptoms in childhood and adolescence. Higher reported parental stress and mental health difficulties were associated with a higher frequency of behavioral, but not emotional problems, and did not mediate the impact of adverse life events. These results suggest that child and adolescent emotional and behavioral problems, exposure to life events and parent stress and mental health are independently associated, to differing degrees, with emotional or behavioral outcomes in early adulthood. LAY SUMMARY: People with autism experience high rates of mental health difficulties throughout childhood and into adult life. Adverse life events and parental stress and mental health may contribute to poor mental health in adulthood. We used data at three time points (12-, 16-, and 23-year) to understand how these factors relate to symptoms at 23-year. We found that emotional and behavioral problems in childhood, adverse life events and parent mental health were all associated with increased emotional and behavioral problems in adulthood.

Mental Health Conditions and Health Care Payments for Children with Chronic Medical Conditions

Individuals with serious mental illness often are unable to access consumer- and family-oriented community care, resulting in repeated hospitalizations, incarceration, and homelessness. The "medical home" concept was developed in primary care to provide accessible and accountable services for individuals with chronic medical conditions. Building on the work done in primary care, the authors propose a "mental health home." The model of care incorporates medical home characteristics, such as access to and coordination of services, integration of primary and preventive care, adoption of recovery orientation and evidence-based practices, and family and community outreach. Barriers to and strategies for implementation of mental health homes are discussed.

A New Kind of Homelessness for Individuals With Serious Mental Illness? The Need for a "Mental Health Home"

HighlightsWhat are the main findings?Most common mental health conditions in youth with IBD and JIA are generalized anxiety and major depression disorders;12% of youth with IBD or JIA had more than one documented mental health diagnosis, and 14% take medication used to treat a mental health condition.What is the implication of the main finding?Given these prevalences only represent those that are documented in the chart, this is likely an underrepresentation of the true prevalence of mental health conditions;Mental health screening should be considered in pediatric GI and rheumatology clinics to more accurately assess the burden of mental health conditions in youth.Background/Objectives: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are chronic autoimmune conditions that impact the physical and psychological well-being of pediatric patients. While previous studies have shown a high prevalence of mental health challenges among youth with chronic conditions, the prevalence of mental health issues in Canadian pediatric patients with JIA and IBD remains unclear. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of documented mental health disorders and related medication use of youth with JIA or IBD at a tertiary care centre. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of youths aged 12–17 diagnosed with JIA or IBD at McMaster Children’s Hospital (MCH) to understand the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), separation anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (SAD), obsessive–compulsive disorders (OCD), eating disorders, major depressive disorder (MDD), adolescent adjustment disorder, suicide attempt/suicide ideation, self-harm behaviour, substance use disorder, and attention deficit disorders (ADD). Results: We reviewed 429 patient charts, including 303 patients with IBD and 126 with JIA. Our findings identified 90 IBD patients and 20 JIA patients who had one or more documented mental health conditions. Proportionately, there was a higher prevalence of mental health conditions among IBD patients (30%) compared to JIA patients (16%). The most frequently observed conditions in both IBD and JIA patients were GAD (63%, 50%), ADD (33%, 35%), and MDD (29%, 15%). Conclusions: These findings highlight the critical need for early mental health screening and integrated care approaches that address both medical and psychosocial needs in adolescents with chronic illnesses. Future research should incorporate prospective study designs, include diverse geographic and demographic populations, and explore targeted interventions to improve mental and physical health outcomes in this vulnerable group.

Borderline personality traits are prevalent among university students and can significantly impair their emotional and interpersonal functioning. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of borderline personality traits and their psychological correlates among medical students in Egypt. A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted during the 2024/2025 academic year, involving 1,293 medical students from eight Egyptian universities. Borderline personality traits were screened using the McLean Screening Instrument for Borderline Personality Disorder (MSI-BPD), a self-report screening tool derived from the BPD module of the Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders. While anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2), and depressive symptoms were assessed with the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), respectively. Pearson’s correlation and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with borderline personality traits. Participants reported an average of 3.85 traits on the MSI-BPD, with 18.5% screening positive for clinically significant borderline personality traits. The most prevalent symptoms were mood instability (53.2%) and chronic feelings of emptiness (47.0%), while 17.2% reported suicidal ideation. Correlation analyses showed significant positive relationships between borderline personality traits and both depression (r = 0.52, p < 0.001) and anxiety (r = 0.61, p < 0.001). Multivariable regression identified three significant predictors of positive borderline personality traits screening: family history of mental illness (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 2.17, 95% CI: 1.57, 3.01), anxiety symptoms (AOR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.25, 1.53), and depressive symptoms (AOR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.24, 1.54). Borderline personality traits are prevalent among Egyptian medical students and are strongly associated with anxiety, depression, and familial mental health history. These findings highlight the need for early screening and targeted interventions to support students at risk. Not applicable.

Determine the prevalence of serious psychological distress (SPD) among adults with and without chronic medical conditions and examine the association between SPD and health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Cross-sectional data from the 2005 Los Angeles County Health Survey were used to estimate prevalence of SPD. The association between SPD and HRQOL was evaluated using logistic regression and analysis of covariance, adjusting for sociodemographic variables and number of chronic conditions. SPD was significantly associated with younger age, lower income, being unemployed or disabled, being unmarried, fair or poor health, and having one or more chronic conditions. Adults with three or more chronic conditions were six times as likely to have SPD as those with no conditions. Adults with SPD reported significantly more unhealthy days (mental and physical) and activity limitation days than adults without SPD. The adjusted mean number of unhealthy days was highest among adults with SPD (23.3), followed by adults with depression (14.1), and diabetes (10.6). SPD is associated with decreased HRQOL and presence of chronic medical conditions. Mental health should be routinely assessed when addressing health needs of individuals and communities. Persons with chronic diseases may benefit from targeted mental health screening and programs that employ treatment approaches that jointly manage physical and mental health and provide improved links and access to services.

Medical multimorbidity and drug use among adults in the United States.

Objective – The aim of the study was to: 1) describe the range and the intensity of adverse events in the student’s life, and 2) determine relationships between selected characteristics of adverse events experienced by students, sense of coherence and effective solution of adverse event. It was assumed that there are four results of adverse event: resistance, recovery, thriving and worsening. The consequences of adverse life events can be destructive but sometimes brings some profits. Methods – 239 high school students participated in the study (54% women). They responded to questionnaires measuring sense of coherence (SOC-29) and “Adverse events in your life” describing 14 adverse life events in the last year. Results – Adverse life events were often experienced in the last year. Thriving was the result of four adverse events. Stepwise regression analyses (37% of explained variation in men and 29% in women) showed that differentiation of successfully going through an adverse life event was explained to the largest extent by sense of meaningfulness in women (β = 0.39), while in men, by sense of manageability (β = 0.56). Conclusions – Results indicate that sense of coherence is an important variable for successful coping with adverse life event.

Background. Despite the increased burden of mental health problem, little is known about knowledge and perception of the public towards mental health problems in Ethiopia. Methods. Community based cross-sectional study was conducted among selected 845 Gimbi town residents from May 28 to June 28, 2014. Results. Out of the total study participants, 304 (37.3%) were found to have poor perception (a score below mean five semantic differential scales for positive questions and above mean for negative questions) of mental illness. Being above 28 years of age (AOR = 0.48 CI (0.23, 0.78)), private workers (AOR = 0.41 CI (0.19, 0.87)), and lack of mental health information were found to be associated with poor perception of mental illness (AOR = 0.133 CI (0.09, 0.20)). Absence of family history of mental illness was also found to be associated with poor perception of mental illness (AOR = 0.37 CI (0.21, 0.66)). Conclusions. Significant proportions of the community in Gimbi town were found to have poor perception of mental illness. Poor perception is common among old aged, less educated, private workers, those unable to access mental health information, and those with no family history of mental illness. Mental health education on possible causes, treatment options, and possible outcome of treatment to the community is required.

The objective of this study was to investigate the importance of family history of mental illness as a risk factor for self-reported frequent mental distress among patients who use community-based clinics. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to a convenience sample in three community clinics serving largely low-income patients. Forms were completed by 793 clinic patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis was to control for the effects of demographic variables. In this sample of primary care patients, 27.1% had frequent mental distress. Having a family history of mental illness or substance abuse was found to be associated with frequent mental distress in this population [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.24, P = 0.000]. Also associated with increased odds of frequent mental distress were avoiding medical care owing to cost (OR = 1.86, P = 0.003) and obesity (OR = 1.73, P = 0.006). Having a family history of mental illness or substance abuse is independently associated with increased odds of frequent mental distress among primary care patients seen in community clinics. Three strategies are suggested for using this information to prevent frequent mental distress: health education via mass communication to the general population of primary care patients being followed in a clinic, health education to at-risk patients, and targeted screening of clinic patients who have the risk factor.

Objective: Children in the Child Welfare System (CWS) are at high risk for multiple adverse outcomes. Since involvement in CWS and having a chronic medical condition are both risk factors for poor academic achievement, a logical view is that the combination is additive, increasing the odds of poor performance. However, several factors may complicate such an association. This study explores negative and positive factors that could affect academic achievement in children in CWS with chronic medical conditions.Method: In a secondary data analysis of a nationally representative, longitudinal sample of children in CWS (N = 5,501), subjects were divided into three groups based on chronic medical condition: High Prevalence, Low Severity (HPLS; asthma, eczema, allergy, diabetes), Other (OTH; all other chronic conditions, including those with primary central nervous system involvement), and NONE (children with no chronic condition). Using weighted analyses, hierarchical logistic regression models addressed factors associated with academic achievement. Predictor variables included chronic condition group, sex, income level, case substantiation, home placement, and school engagement. Intelligence quotient was a covariate. Outcome variables were strong performances for reading and math, defined by standard score ≥85.Results: In TOTAL group, 80% had strong reading; more in HPLS (85%) vs. NONE (79%) and OTH (80%), adjusted F = 433, p < 0.001. In TOTAL group, 67% had strong math; more in NONE (68%) and HPLS (68%) vs. OTH (60%), adjusted F = 1,278, p < 0.001. Models predicting to strong reading and math achievement were significant, R2 = 0.51, p < 0.001 and R2 = 0.43, p < 0.001, respectively. HPLS had increased odds of strong reading achievement (aOR 1.3, 95% CI 1.3–1.4); both HPLS and OTH had lower odds of strong math achievement (aOR 0.87 and 0.76), p < 0.001, respectively. Male sex had lower odds of strong reading (aOR 0.44) and math achievement (aOR 0.62); positive school engagement had higher odds of strong reading (aOR 1.18) and math achievement (aOR 2.04), all p < 0.001.Conclusion: If true, our findings challenge the general belief that chronic illness can only be associated with negative outcomes and that cumulative adversities are simply additive in terms of risk. Increased contact with the medical system may provide an opportunity for improving reading achievement for children in CWS and promoting positive school engagement.