ArticleFrontiers in public health2022
The prevalence of probable depression and probable anxiety, and associations with adverse childhood experiences and socio-demographics: A national survey in South Africa.
Article in Frontiers in public health, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 50 papers.
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50 citing papers in PubMed, 96 citations in OpenAlex.
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- Psychometric evaluation of the Kessler 10 measure of psychosocial distress using the 2022 South African population-based household survey.Current psychology (New Brunswick, N.J.) · 2026Article
- Exploring perceived relationships between weather, climate and mental health: biometeorological perspectives of healthcare practitioners.International journal of biometeorology · 2025Article
- Exploring depression symptoms in chronic care users in Dr Kenneth Kaunda for culturally relevant counselling.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2025Article
- The Global Landscape of Neuropsychiatric Prescribing Practices of Nurses: A Scoping Review.International journal of mental health nursing · 2025Article
- The Role of Inflammation in Migraine Headaches: A Review.FASEB bioAdvances · 2025Review
- Effects of masculine culture on the mental health of Northern Sotho male youth.BMC psychology · 2025Article
- Widowhood stigma as a fundamental cause of poor mental, sexual, and reproductive health outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa: a conceptual framework.SSM. Mental health · 2025Article
- Sociodemographic and Psychosocial Factors Influencing COVID-19 Testing Uptake: Insights from Urban and Rural Communities in South Africa.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
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Abstract
Objective and methods: Mental health problems among adults are a growing public health concern, and middle-income countries such as South Africa are disproportionally affected. Using a large scale nationally representative weighted survey, we assessed the prevalence of probable depression, probable anxiety, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and explored associations between probable depression, probable anxiety, ACEs, socio-economic status, and demographic characteristics. Results: Nationally, 25.7, 17.8, and 23.6% of respondents, respectively, reported scores of ≥10 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), indicating probable depression or probable anxiety, and an ACE score of ≥4 (high exposure). Overall probable depression prevalence across South Africa varied from 14.7 to 38.8%. Both probable depression and probable anxiety were more frequently reported among adults who were: retired and older (>65 years of age), and widowed, divorced, or separated; living in metropolitan areas; and only had primary school education. In a multivariable adjusted logistic regression, the likelihood of reporting probable depression or probable anxiety was also found to increase with each standard deviation increase in the ACE score ( Conclusion: The prevalence of probable depression among respondents in South Africa varies significantly across the nine provinces. Furthermore, higher ACE score and several socio-demographic determinants were associated with a higher likelihood of probable depression and probable anxiety. Adult mental health services are urgently needed to identify groups of the population vulnerable to mental health problems for better targeting of interventions. Given the range of probable depression prevalence across the country, provincial level plans and resources should also reflect the burden of mental health problems in that province.
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