Department of Psychology, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
Department of Psychology, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana.
BMJ Open. 2020 Oct 15;10(10):e038175. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-038175.
While the burden of disease attributable to mental disorders in low/middle-income countries (LMICs) is lower than high-income countries, there is recognition that the dearth of evidence from the LMICs may underestimate the actual prevalence and burden associated with mental disorders. Such is likely the case for Botswana where there has been no nationally representative data on the prevalence of symptoms of mental disorders or even a subgroup estimation of mental disorders in the country. Thus, the Youth Mental Health Study (YMHS) aims to estimate the prevalence and identify predictors of symptoms of mental disorders among university students in Botswana to add to the evidence and contribute to the country's health service planning.
The YMHS is a cross-sectional study of youth (18-29 years) attending six large universities (accounting for nearly half of the tertiary student population) in Botswana. A stratified sampling procedure with proportionate allocation and selection is used to select a representative sample of 1308 participants. An online survey comprising of a battery of reliable and validated self-report measures of symptoms of mental disorders is used. A developmental psychopathology framework is used in identifying the risk factors of mental disorders. Participant recruitment will span over 4 months beginning in February 2020.
The study has received ethics approval from the University of Botswana Institutional Review Board, and the Ministry of Health and Wellness. Participants will be provided with feedback of their own results. Aggregated findings will be disseminated to stakeholders in the tertiary education and health sector in Botswana, and through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations and the media.
虽然中低收入国家（LMICs）精神障碍疾病负担低于高收入国家，但人们认识到，LMICs 缺乏证据可能低估了与精神障碍相关的实际患病率和负担。博茨瓦纳就是这种情况，该国没有关于精神障碍症状的全国代表性数据，甚至没有对该国精神障碍的亚组估计。因此，青年心理健康研究（YMHS）旨在估计博茨瓦纳大学生精神障碍症状的患病率，并确定其预测因素，以增加证据并为该国的卫生服务规划做出贡献。
YMHS 是一项横断面研究，研究对象为博茨瓦纳六所大型大学（占高等教育学生人口的近一半）的青年（18-29 岁）。采用分层抽样程序，按比例分配和选择，以选择 1308 名代表性参与者的样本。使用包含可靠和经过验证的精神障碍症状自评量表的在线调查。采用发展心理病理学框架来确定精神障碍的危险因素。参与者招募将在 2020 年 2 月开始的 4 个月内进行。
该研究已获得博茨瓦纳大学伦理审查委员会和卫生部的伦理批准。将向参与者提供他们自己结果的反馈。汇总结果将在博茨瓦纳的高等教育和卫生部门的利益相关者中，以及通过同行评议期刊、会议演讲和媒体进行传播。
