article · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Young women in urban Kampala experience substantial mental health adversities linked to social determinants such as poverty, food insecurity, healthcare shortages, and community violence. To prepare for a larger prospective cohort study, two consecutive pilot studies assessed the feasibility and acceptability of using surveys, wearable fitness trackers, and daily diaries among 60 participants. Analysis of these pilots revealed that nearly a third of the young women reported depressive symptoms for most or all of the preceding month. Depressive symptoms were significantly correlated with food insecurity as well as poorer satisfaction with living conditions and lifestyle. Furthermore, higher perceived stress correlated significantly with lower overall life satisfaction. Overall life satisfaction scores, along with personal independence and social relationship domains, showed no direct statistical association with frequent depressive symptoms.
Mental health challenges often stem from broader social and economic hardships. By identifying specific links between food insecurity, poor living environments, stress, and depression among young urban women, public health bodies and community initiatives can design more targeted support systems that address foundational social determinants rather than treating symptoms in isolation.
This work represents early-stage feasibility research evaluating data-gathering methods, including commercial wearable fitness trackers and daily diaries, within an urban African context. Potential applications could include digital health monitoring tools or targeted wellness programmes used by public health bodies, healthcare providers, or non-governmental organisations, though the abstract indicates that the findings serve primarily to inform a forthcoming prospective cohort study rather than a commercial product.
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Young women living in Kampala, Uganda, often face adversities related to Social Determinants of Mental Health (SDoMH) including poverty, food scarcity, environmental stressors such as high levels of community violence, and lack of adequate healthcare access. Two consecutive pilot studies were conducted to assess the feasibility and acceptability of survey questions, wearable fitness trackers, and daily diaries before launching a larger prospective cohort study. Preliminary associations between SDoMH factors with depressive symptoms, stress levels, and life satisfaction were examined among the total sample of 60 women across two pilot studies. A total of 32.2% of respondents (out of <i>n</i> = 59) reported being depressed most or all of the time in the past 30 days. Frequent depressive symptoms correlated with food insecurity (χ2 = 5.38, <i>df</i> = 1, <i>p</i> = 0.02). Higher stress levels were significantly associated with lower overall life satisfaction scores (<i>t</i> = 2.74, <i>df</i> = 6.20, <i>p</i> = 0.03). Additionally, frequent depressive symptoms were associated with lower satisfaction scores in the living conditions and lifestyle domain (<i>t</i> = 2.22, <i>df</i> = 36.18, <i>p</i> = 0.03). However, overall life satisfaction scores and other domains (social relationships and personal independence) were not statistically associated with frequent depressive symptoms. Identifying the most impactful SDoMH factors among young women in Kampala can inform targeted approaches to improve mental health outcomes.
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DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21020184
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