High psychological distress among school-going adolescents in Afghanistan: prevalence and correlates from a national survey

ABSTRACT

The aim of this investigation was to assess the prevalence and correlates of psychological distress among adolescents Afghanistan. Cross-sectional 2014 ‘Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS)’ data included 2579 students that were representative of all students in Grades 7 to 11 in Afghanistan. The prevalence of single psychological distress was 28.4% and multiple psychological distress 27.7%. In adjusted multinomial logistic regression analysis, being female, ever cannabis and/or amphetamine use, bullying victimization and injury were associated with both single and multiple psychological distress. In addition, in unadjusted analysis, the experience of hunger, current tobacco use, secondary smoke, having been attacked, and truancy were positively and attending physical education classes was negatively associated with single and/or multiple psychological distress. High prevalence of psychological distress was observed and several risk factors identified that can facilitate intervention strategies.

KEYWORDS:

• Psychological distress
• demographic factors
• environmental stressors
• protective factors
• adolescents
• Afghanistan

Acknowledgments

The World Health Organization is acknowledged for availing the data for analysis (“https://www.who.int/ncds/surveillance/gshs/afghanistandataset/en/”), and the country coordinator from Afghanistan (Dr. Noorali Darwish) for the GSHS data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.