Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Trajectories of Depression Among Urban Refugee Youth in Kampala, Uganda: A Longitudinal Cohort Study

Overview

Journal Glob Ment Health (Camb)

Publisher Cambridge University Press

Date 2025 Jan 8

PMID 39777003

Authors

Zerihun Admassu

Sikky Shiqi Chen

Carmen H Logie

Moses Okumu

Frannie MacKenzie

Robert Hakiza

Daniel Kibuuka Musoke

Brenda Katisi

Aidah Nakitende

Peter Kyambadde

Lawrence Mbuagbaw

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: There is a high prevalence of depression among refugee youth in low- and middle-income countries, yet depression trajectories are understudied. This study examined depression trajectories, and factors associated with trajectories, among urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal cohort study with refugee youth aged 16-24 in Kampala, Uganda. We assessed depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and conducted latent class growth analysis (LCGA) to identify depression trajectories. Sociodemographic and socioecological factors were examined as predictors of trajectory clusters using multivariable logistic regression.

Results: Data were collected from n = 164 participants (n = 89 cisgender women, n = 73 cisgender men, n = 2 transgender persons; mean age: 19.9, standard deviation: 2.5 at seven timepoints; n = 1,116 observations). Two distinct trajectory clusters were identified: "sustained low depression level" (n = 803, 71.9%) and "sustained high depression level" (n = 313, 28.1%). Sociodemographic (older age, gender [cisgender women vs. cisgender men], longer time in Uganda), and socioecological (structural: unemployment, food insecurity; interpersonal: parenthood, recent intimate partner violence) factors were significantly associated with the sustained high trajectory of depression.

Conclusions: The chronicity of depression highlights the critical need for early depression screening with urban refugee youth in Kampala. Addressing multilevel depression drivers prompts age and gender-tailored strategies and considering social determinants of health.

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