Abstract

This study aimed at determining the prevalence of stress, different types of stress, their severity and their determinants in Kenyan university, college and high school students. The following tools were administered to 9741 students: (1) Researcher-designed socio-demographic tool, (2) Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (PDSQ) for psychiatric disorders, (3) WERC Stress Screen for stress, (4) Washington Early Recognition Center Affectivity and Psychosis (WERCAP) screen for psychosis and affectivity, (5) Wealth Index Questionnaire for economic indicators. Descriptive analysis for the prevalence of different types of stress and inferential analysis for stress and independent variables were done. Significant variables (p < 0.05) were fitted into generalized linear model to determine independent predictors. The mean age of the respondents was 21.4 years (range 16–43). Money issues were the commonest stressors while alcohol and drug use were the least. The independent predictors of stress were females, college students and use of gas stove. In conclusion, up to 30% of the students suffer from mild to severe stress. The students experience a wide range of stressors. The most important stressors include money and finances, family related problems and concerns about their future. Our findings suggest a public health approach to create stress awareness in students.

Details

Title
Students stress patterns in a Kenyan socio-cultural and economic context: toward a public health intervention
Author
Mutiso, Victoria N. 1 ; Ndetei, David M. 2 ; Muia, Esther N. 3 ; Musyimi, Christine 1 ; Masake, Monicah 3 ; Osborn, Tom L. 4 ; Sourander, Andre 5 ; Weisz, John R. 6 ; Mamah, Daniel 7 

 Africa Mental Health Research and Training Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya (GRID:grid.490737.e); University of Nairobi, Department of Psychiatry, Nairobi, Kenya (GRID:grid.10604.33) (ISNI:0000 0001 2019 0495) 
 Africa Mental Health Research and Training Foundation, Nairobi, Kenya (GRID:grid.490737.e); University of Nairobi, Department of Psychiatry, Nairobi, Kenya (GRID:grid.10604.33) (ISNI:0000 0001 2019 0495); World Psychiatric Association Collaborating Centre for Research and Training, Nairobi, Kenya (GRID:grid.10604.33) 
 Machakos University, Department of Public and Community Health, Machakos, Kenya (GRID:grid.493101.e) (ISNI:0000 0004 4660 9348) 
 Shamiri Institute, Allston, USA (GRID:grid.493101.e); Shamiri Institute, Nairobi, Kenya (GRID:grid.493101.e); Harvard University, Department of Psychology, Cambridge, USA (GRID:grid.38142.3c) (ISNI:000000041936754X) 
 Turku University Hospital, Department of Child Psychiatry, Turku, Finland (GRID:grid.410552.7) (ISNI:0000 0004 0628 215X) 
 Harvard University, Department of Psychology, Cambridge, USA (GRID:grid.38142.3c) (ISNI:000000041936754X) 
 Washington University Medical School, Departments of Psychiatry, St. Louis, USA (GRID:grid.4367.6) (ISNI:0000 0001 2355 7002) 
Pages
580
Publication year
2023
Publication date
2023
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2764039511
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2023. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.