Prevalence, risk factors, and comorbidities of psychotic experiences in Afghanistan: a highly stressful environment.

OBJECTIVES

To estimate the prevalence and demographic, psychiatric, and trauma-focused correlates of psychotic experiences (PEs) in the Afghan general population.

METHODS

Data were drawn from a cross-sectional household survey implemented in eight regions of Afghanistan (N = 4445). The CIDI structured instrument was administered to adults to assess psychiatric disorders and psychotic experiences; life events and PTSD were assessed using validated instruments. Weighted multivariate models integrated socio-demographics, regions, traumas as determinants of PE.

RESULTS

PEs were frequently reported in the Afghan population: 27.50% of the population reported a lifetime PE. PEs were more common among specific ethnic groups, and were associated with lower income in adjusted regression models. PEs were associated with mental health problems including major depressive disorders (OR = 3.43), PTSD (OR = 5.08), generalized anxiety (OR = 4.2); lifetime suicidal attempts (OR 6.04), lifetime suicidal thoughts (OR = 3.42), addiction (OR = 2.18); and psychological distress and impairment due to mental health (OR = 2.95 and 2.46, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Psychotic experiences in the Afghan general population confirm general population findings in other countries, that psychotic experiences are common and associated with economic and social marginalization, and part of a continuum of mental health problems experienced in populations. Efforts to reduce and treat psychotic experiences within a broad array of psychiatric conditions are needed.