An exploratory analysis of factors associated with depression in a vulnerable group of young people living in informal settlements in South Africa

ABSTRACT

Depression amongst young people is a major health challenge and is often shaped by social marginalisation. Informal settlements are growing rapidly. There is a need to deepen understandings of depression amongst young people in these contexts. We sought to understand factors associated with depressive symptomology amongst 232 young people (122 women, 110 men) aged 18–30 in urban informal settlements in South Africa. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of baseline data collected for the Stepping Stones and Creating Futures pilot. Logistic regression modelled relationships between depressive symptomology, livelihoods and violence. Symptomatic depression in this population was 49.5% for men and 57.9% for women. In multiple regression, depression in men was associated with stealing because of hunger (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) 5.78, p = .03), being more controlling in relationships (aOR 0.81, p = .008) and being more ashamed about lack of work (aOR 0.75, p = .01). For women, depressive symptoms were associated with greater stress about lack of work (aOR 0.72, p < .0001) and food insecurity (aOR 5.57, p = .039). The study emphasises that socio-economic factors, shaped by local understandings of gender, play a significant role in depressive symptomology. We suggest reducing economic distress may have an important role in reducing depression in this population.

KEYWORDS:

• Depression
• informal settlements
• youth
• livelihoods
• gender

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the other team members who were part of the wider study, specifically: Nwabisa Jama-Shai, Yandisa Sikweyiya, Laura Washington, Alison Misselhorn and Samantha Willan. We would also like to thank the fieldwork staff and the participants for sharing their experiences with us.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCiD

Andrew Gibbs http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2812-5377

Additional information

Funding

The original study was funded by the Swedish International Development Agency (Sida), Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), the Joint Gender Fund (South Africa) and the Medical Research Council of South Africa (SAMRC). Funding for this analysis comes from: A. G. and K. G., Sida and Norad. A. G. and R. J. received funding from DFID. This document is an output from the What Works to prevent Violence: A Global Programme which is funded by the UK Aid from the UK Department for International Development (DFID) for the benefit of developing countries. However, the views expressed and information contained in it are not necessarily those of or endorsed by DFID, Sida, Norad, or the Joint Gender Fund, which can accept no responsibility for such views or information or for any reliance placed on them.