The co-morbidity of DSM-V gambling with DSM-V mental disorders and substance abuse in a Kenyan context of high risk schizophrenia

INTRODUCTION: There is evidence that gambling disorder shares similarities with other types of addictive behavior, such as occurs in substance abuse. In addition, co-morbidity of gambling with mental disorders has been established in school-going students. AIM: This study aimed at determining the comorbidity of DSM-V gambling disorder with DSM-V mental disorders and substance abuse in high school, college and university students in Kenya. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study among 536 high school, college and university students. We collected data on socio-demographic characteristics, economic indicators, DSM-V diagnosis including DSM-V gambling disorder and substance use disorders using the WHO ASSIST tool. Descriptive and inferential analyses were done. RESULTS: A total of 536 students participated in the study, of which 11.4% (61 out of 536) had DSM-V gambling disorder. Male gender (AOR = 12.0, 95% CI: 4.99-34.3), antisocial personality disorder (AOR = 3.42, 95% CI: 1.34-8.54), tobacco use (AOR = 4.42, 95% CI: 1.15-18.3) and conduct disorder (AOR = 7.56, 95% CI: 2.34-25.1) were predictors of gambling disorder. CONCLUSION: Gambling is highly prevalent in Kenya learning institutions at 11.4% and is associated with mental disorders and substance use. There is a need for public awareness of gambling among Kenyan youths

Individual and community experiences and the use of language in understanding diabetes and depression in rural Kenya

As the prevalence of long-term conditions continues to rise it becomes increasingly important to identify ways to mitigate their effects, including the psychological impact. In rural Kenya identifying people with diabetes or mental health problems is challenging due to the stigma and negative experiences within community settings. Four broad themes were identified; (1) misconceptions and stigma: the use of language, (2) treatment and medications, (3) community beliefs and alternative treatment pathways, (4) the role of informal and formal care. Our study demonstrated the detrimental effect of the use of stigmatising language and misconceptions surrounding diabetes and depression at both the individual and community levels. Inequalities in health care access were observed and a lack of resources in rural communities was evident. Improvements in support for health care workers at the community level as well as acknowledging the importance of informal care could help improve the psychological and emotional impact of diabetes and depression

Depressive symptoms and associated social and environmental factors among women living in informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya

Approximately 280 million people around the world suffer from depression, and the rates are higher among women than men. For women living in informal settlements in lower – and middle-income countries (LMICs) the prevalence and associated burden of depressive symptoms may be particularly high. The purpose of this paper was to explore factors associated with possible major depressive disorder (MDD) in a probability sample of women living in Mathare informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya and to identify potential points for intervention and/or support. Quantitative surveys were conducted with 552 women aged 18–75. Possible MDD was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire and regressed on individual, household/familial-, and community/interpersonal-level factors. Findings highlight the potential importance of factors such as physical health, economic stress, access to water and sanitation, household and family dynamics, and neighbourhood/village differences in possible MDD among women living in informal settlements. We identify potential points for research, intervention and policy including: providing appropriate tangible assistance or interventions to reduce economic stress/strain; expanding access to water and sanitation and, in doing so, reducing potential burdens to physical health; providing and expanding healthcare to include mental healthcare; and investigating family dynamics and bolstering support for families, particularly for those experiencing conflict

Perceptions and experiences of dementia and its care in rural Kenya

Objectives We aimed to explore the perceptions towards dementia and related care across three stakeholder groups in rural Kenya. Methods A total of 38 key stakeholders (carers of persons with dementia, health care providers and the general public) participated in focus group discussions. Additional five individual interviews were held with carers. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Findings Across the three participant groups, a total of four themes were identified: (i) negative stereotypes of dementia, (ii) limited knowledge about dementia, (iii) diagnostic pathway and (iv) neglect and abuse. Conclusions We found a general lack of knowledge of dementia amongst family carers, healthcare professionals and the general public. The combination of poor awareness and ill-equipped healthcare systems leads to stigma manifested in the form of patchy diagnostic pathways, neglect and abuse. Local governments could take advantage of the existing family- and community-based systems to improve understanding of dementia nationally

Effectiveness of interventions for dementia in low- and middle-income countries: protocol for a systematic review, pairwise and network meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: There are more people living with dementia in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) than in high-income countries. Evidence-based interventions to improve the lives of people living with dementia and their carers are needed, but a systematic mapping of methodologically robust studies in LMICs and synthesis of the effectiveness of dementia interventions in these settings is missing. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic review and meta-analysis will be conducted to answer the question: Which dementia interventions were shown to be effective in LMICs and how do they compare to each other? Electronic database searches (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL Plus, Global Health, WHO Global Index Medicus, Virtual Health Library, Cochrane CENTRAL, Social Care Online, BASE, MODEM Toolkit, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) will be complemented by hand searching of reference lists and local knowledge of existing studies from an international network of researchers in dementia from LMICs. Studies will be eligible for inclusion if they were published between 2008 and 2018, conducted in LMICs and evaluated the effectiveness of a dementia intervention using a study design that supports causal inference of the treatment effect. We will include both randomised and non-randomised studies due to an anticipated low number of well-conducted randomised trials in LMICs and potentially greater external validity of non-randomised studies conducted in routine care settings. In addition to narrative synthesis of the interventions, feasibility of pairwise and network meta-analyses will be explored to obtain pooled effects of relative treatment effects. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Secondary analysis of published studies, therefore no ethics approval required. Planned dissemination channels include a peer-reviewed publication as well as a website, DVD and evidence summaries. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42018106206

Psychometric properties of the Ndetei–Othieno–Kathuku (NOK) Scale: A mental health assessment tool for an African setting

Background: Research suggests that psychiatric conditions in children and adolescents are highly debilitating, with sparse resources for assessment and treatment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability, validity, and latent factor structure of an ethnographically-grounded assessment instrument for detecting common mental health complaints among rural Kenyan children and adolescents. Methods: The Ndetei–Othieno–Kathuku Scale (NOK) was delivered to 2 282 children aged 10 to 18 years old. Exploratory factor analysis identified four latent factors. This structure was confirmed in subsequent confirmatory factor analyses. External validity was explored by investigating associations among NOK factors and Youth Self-Report DSM-oriented scales. Results: Findings suggest the NOK possesses good internal reliability and a four-factor latent structure corresponding to depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, and a mixed factor. Significant associations ranging from small to medium effect sizes were noted between NOK factors and YSR DSM-oriented scales. Conclusions: Exploratory findings suggest that the NOK possesses adequate psychometric properties among this population. This ethnographically-grounded instrument may be uniquely suited to screening for mental health complaints among Kenyan children and adolescents

Active inclusion of people living with dementia in planning for dementia care and services in low- and middle-income countries

Involving people living with dementia in service design and planning has become more common in high-income countries. It remains rare in low- and middle-income countries where two-thirds of the world’s people with dementia live. In this commentary article, we explore the barriers to inclusion of people living with dementia in planning in low- and middle-income countries and make a case for the inclusion of people living with dementia in care and service planning. We suggest how this can be done at individual, community or national and state level using the following principles: 1) respecting the rights of people living with dementia to self-determination; 2) valuing people living with dementia’s unique understanding of dementia; 3) creating a culture of active inclusion which creates a space for people living with dementia to participate and 4) ensuring appropriate accommodations are in place to maximise participation

Risk of autism spectrum disorder and association of its symptoms with psychiatric and substance use disorders in non-clinical student sample in Kenya: cross-sectional study

Background The prevalence and patterns of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) symptoms/traits and the associations of ASD with psychiatric and substance use disorders has not been documented in non-clinical students in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Kenya in particular. Aims To document the risk level of ASD and its traits in a Kenyan student population (high school, college and university) using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ); and to determine the associations between ASD and other psychiatric and substance use disorders. Method This was a cross-sectional study among students (n = 9626). We used instruments with sufficient psychometric properties and good discriminative validity to collect data. A cut-off score of ≥32 on the AQ was used to identify those at high risk of ASD. We conducted the following statistical tests: (a) basic descriptive statistics; (b) chi-squared tests and Fisher's exact tests to analyse associations between categorical variables and ASD; (c) independent t-tests to examine two-group comparisons with ASD; (d) one-way analysis of variance to make comparisons between categorical variables with three or more groups and ASD; (e) statistically significant (P < 0.05) variables fitted into an ordinal logistic regression model to identify determinants of ASD; (f) Pearson's correlation and reliability analysis. Results Of the total sample, 54 (0.56%) were at high risk of ASD. Sociodemographic differences were found in the mean scores for the various traits, and statistically significant (P < 0.05) associations we found between ASD and various psychiatric and substance use disorders. Conclusions Risk of ASD, gender characteristics and associations with psychiatric and substance use disorders are similar in this Kenyan sample to those found in Western settings in non-clinical populations

Anti-stigma interventions in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review

Background Stigma exacerbates power imbalances and societal disparities, significantly impacting diverse identities and health conditions, particularly for low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Though crucial for dismantling harmful stereotypes, and enhancing healthcare utilisation, existing research on anti-stigma interventions is limited with its condition-focused approach. We aimed to thoroughly evaluate peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed literature for a comprehensive review of anti-stigma interventions for diverse identities and all health conditions in LMICs. Methods This review systematically explored peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed literature, in ten electronic databases up to January 30, 2024, covering all anti-stigma interventions across various stigmatised identities and health conditions in LMICs. Quality assessment for this systematic review was conducted as per Cochrane Collaboration’s suggested inclusions. The review was registered with PROSPERO (Registration: 2017 CRD42017064283). Findings Systematic synthesis of the 192 included studies highlights regional imbalances, while providing valuable insights on robustness and reliability of anti-stigma research. Most studies used quasi-experimental design, and most centred on HIV/AIDS or mental health related stigma, with very little work on other issues. Certain high-population LMICs had no/little representation. Interpretation The interventions targeted diverse segments of populations and consequently yielded a multitude of stigma-related outcomes. However, despite the heterogeneity of studies, most reported positive outcomes underscoring the effectiveness of existing interventions to reduce stigma