COVID-19 Pandemic and Food Insecurity Fuel the Mental Health Crisis in Africa
Objective: Providing country-level estimates for prevalence rates of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), COVID-19 exposure and food insecurity (FI) and assessing the role of persistent threats to survival—exemplified by exposure to COVID-19 and FI—for the mental health crisis in Africa.Methods: Orig...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-01-01
|
| Series: | International Journal of Public Health |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1606369/full |
| _version_ | 1827383208851800064 |
|---|---|
| author | Jule Beck Anke Koebach Liliana Abreu Mekdim Dereje Regassa Anke Hoeffler Wolfgang Stojetz Tilman Brück Tilman Brück Tilman Brück |
| author_facet | Jule Beck Anke Koebach Liliana Abreu Mekdim Dereje Regassa Anke Hoeffler Wolfgang Stojetz Tilman Brück Tilman Brück Tilman Brück |
| author_sort | Jule Beck |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: Providing country-level estimates for prevalence rates of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), COVID-19 exposure and food insecurity (FI) and assessing the role of persistent threats to survival—exemplified by exposure to COVID-19 and FI—for the mental health crisis in Africa.Methods: Original phone-based survey data from Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda (12 consecutive cross-sections in 2021; n = 23,943) were analyzed to estimate prevalence rates of GAD. Logistic regression models and mediation analysis using structural equation models identify risk and protective factors.Results: The overall prevalence of GAD in 2021 was 23.3%; 40.2% in Mozambique, 17.0% in Sierra Leone, 18.0% in Tanzania, and 19.1% in Uganda. Both COVID-19 exposure (ORadj. 1.4; CI 1.3–1.6) and FI (ORadj 3.2; CI 2.7–3.8) are independent and significant predictors of GAD. Thus, the impact of FI on GAD was considerably stronger than that of COVID-19 exposure.Conclusion: Persistent threats to survival play a substantial role for mental health, specifically GAD. High anxiety prevalence in the population requires programs to reduce violence and enhance social support. Even during a pandemic, addressing FI as a key driver of GAD should be prioritized by policymakers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T14:36:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0ed47cfe737a41c8b57a6b4e8356ec10 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-8564 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T14:36:54Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-0ed47cfe737a41c8b57a6b4e8356ec102024-01-12T04:10:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.International Journal of Public Health1661-85642024-01-016810.3389/ijph.2023.16063691606369COVID-19 Pandemic and Food Insecurity Fuel the Mental Health Crisis in AfricaJule Beck0Anke Koebach1Liliana Abreu2Mekdim Dereje Regassa3Anke Hoeffler4Wolfgang Stojetz5Tilman Brück6Tilman Brück7Tilman Brück8Development Research Group, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, GermanyDevelopment Research Group, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, GermanyDevelopment Research Group, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, GermanyLeibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Großbeeren, GermanyDevelopment Research Group, Department of Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, GermanyISDC—International Security and Development Center, Berlin, GermanyLeibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Großbeeren, GermanyISDC—International Security and Development Center, Berlin, GermanyAlbrecht Daniel Thaer Institute for Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin, Berlin, GermanyObjective: Providing country-level estimates for prevalence rates of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), COVID-19 exposure and food insecurity (FI) and assessing the role of persistent threats to survival—exemplified by exposure to COVID-19 and FI—for the mental health crisis in Africa.Methods: Original phone-based survey data from Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Tanzania and Uganda (12 consecutive cross-sections in 2021; n = 23,943) were analyzed to estimate prevalence rates of GAD. Logistic regression models and mediation analysis using structural equation models identify risk and protective factors.Results: The overall prevalence of GAD in 2021 was 23.3%; 40.2% in Mozambique, 17.0% in Sierra Leone, 18.0% in Tanzania, and 19.1% in Uganda. Both COVID-19 exposure (ORadj. 1.4; CI 1.3–1.6) and FI (ORadj 3.2; CI 2.7–3.8) are independent and significant predictors of GAD. Thus, the impact of FI on GAD was considerably stronger than that of COVID-19 exposure.Conclusion: Persistent threats to survival play a substantial role for mental health, specifically GAD. High anxiety prevalence in the population requires programs to reduce violence and enhance social support. Even during a pandemic, addressing FI as a key driver of GAD should be prioritized by policymakers.https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1606369/fullgeneralized anxiety disordermental healthCOVID-19food insecurityAfrica |
| spellingShingle | Jule Beck Anke Koebach Liliana Abreu Mekdim Dereje Regassa Anke Hoeffler Wolfgang Stojetz Tilman Brück Tilman Brück Tilman Brück COVID-19 Pandemic and Food Insecurity Fuel the Mental Health Crisis in Africa International Journal of Public Health generalized anxiety disorder mental health COVID-19 food insecurity Africa |
| title | COVID-19 Pandemic and Food Insecurity Fuel the Mental Health Crisis in Africa |
| title_full | COVID-19 Pandemic and Food Insecurity Fuel the Mental Health Crisis in Africa |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 Pandemic and Food Insecurity Fuel the Mental Health Crisis in Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 Pandemic and Food Insecurity Fuel the Mental Health Crisis in Africa |
| title_short | COVID-19 Pandemic and Food Insecurity Fuel the Mental Health Crisis in Africa |
| title_sort | covid 19 pandemic and food insecurity fuel the mental health crisis in africa |
| topic | generalized anxiety disorder mental health COVID-19 food insecurity Africa |
| url | https://www.ssph-journal.org/articles/10.3389/ijph.2023.1606369/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT julebeck covid19pandemicandfoodinsecurityfuelthementalhealthcrisisinafrica AT ankekoebach covid19pandemicandfoodinsecurityfuelthementalhealthcrisisinafrica AT lilianaabreu covid19pandemicandfoodinsecurityfuelthementalhealthcrisisinafrica AT mekdimderejeregassa covid19pandemicandfoodinsecurityfuelthementalhealthcrisisinafrica AT ankehoeffler covid19pandemicandfoodinsecurityfuelthementalhealthcrisisinafrica AT wolfgangstojetz covid19pandemicandfoodinsecurityfuelthementalhealthcrisisinafrica AT tilmanbruck covid19pandemicandfoodinsecurityfuelthementalhealthcrisisinafrica AT tilmanbruck covid19pandemicandfoodinsecurityfuelthementalhealthcrisisinafrica AT tilmanbruck covid19pandemicandfoodinsecurityfuelthementalhealthcrisisinafrica |