Depressive disorders, with a prevalence of 15–21%, are among the most common disorders in children and adolescents, and increases the risk of suicide, the second leading cause of death in children aged 10 to 19. To determine the prevalence and correlates of depressive disorders among senior students attending secondary schools in Abeokuta. The study was conducted in five schools randomly selected from a representative sample and was carried out in 2 phases. In the first phase, students were selected via systematic random sampling and given consent forms and GHQ-12 to administer to the parents. In the second phase, students who returned a signed informed consent form and filled out GHQ-12 were interviewed using MINI-KID, Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, Family-APGAR, and sociodemographic questionnaire. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted with p-value <0.05 as level of significance. The mean age was 15.3 years (SD = 1.27); 48.8% were male. The twelve-month prevalence of major depression was 11.3% and dysthymia was 1.4%. In the final regression analysis, female gender [OR = 4.3, p = 0.046], the experience of bullying [OR = 7.96, p = 0.004], difficulty getting along with friends, [OR = 7.5, p = 0.004], history of sexual abuse [OR = 8.1, p = 0.01], and perceived family dysfunction [OR = 4.9, p = 0,023] were found to be independent predictors of depressive disorders. Depressive syndromes are a significant health burden in adolescents. Being female, being bullied, having a history of sexual abuse, and family dysfunctionality are risk factors associated with depression among these population.

Background/Objectives: Sickle cell disease (SCD) impacts about 100,000 people in the US. SCD increases the risk of cholelithiasis and microvascular ischemia, which could increase the risk of acute pancreatitis (AP). Abdominal pain is a common presenting symptom of AP and sickle cell vaso-occlusive crisis. The purpose of our systematic review is to estimate the prevalence and determine the severity of AP in individuals with SCD compared to the general population. Methods: Multiple electronic databases were searched. We included studies that included children and adults (population) and addressed the association of SCD (exposure) with AP (outcome) compared to the same population without SCD (control). Two authors screened titles and abstracts independently, and data were abstracted in duplication from included studies. We registered this protocol in PROSPERO-CRD42023422397. Results: Out of 296 studies screened from multiple electronic databases, we identified 33 studies. These studies included 17 case reports, one case series, and 15 retrospective cohort studies, and 18 studies included children. Eight of the AP case reports were in patients with HbSS genotype, two with sickle beta thalassemia, and one with HbSoArab, and in six case reports, a genotype was not specified. Complications were reported in 11 cases—respiratory complication (in at least four cases), splenic complications (three cases), pancreatic pseudocyst (two cases) and death from AP (one case). Of the four AP cases in the case series, three had HbSS genotype, and two cases had complications and severe pancreatitis. AP prevalence in SCD was estimated to be 2% and 7% in two retrospective studies, but they lacked a comparison group. In retrospective studies that evaluated the etiology of AP in children, biliary disease caused mostly by SCD was present in approximately 12% and 34%, respectively. Conclusions: Data on the prevalence of AP in individuals with SCD are limited. Prospectively designed studies aiming to proactively evaluate AP in individuals with SCD who present with abdominal pain are needed to improve timely diagnosis of AP in SCD and outcomes.

Background: More than half of all lifetime psychiatric disorders begin by the early adolescent period, with anxiety and depressive disorders responsible for a significant part of this disease burden. Studies elsewhere have suggested a high prevalence of anxiety disorders among adolescents. Few studies have been done in Nigeria among these population despite 62.5% of the population falling into the 0 – 24 age range. Aim: To determine the prevalence and correlates of anxiety disorders among secondary school students in Abeokuta, Nigeria. Results: The overall twelve-month prevalence of all anxiety disorders was 23%. Social phobia was the most prevalent anxiety disorder diagnosed with a prevalence of 6.6%, followed by specific phobia (6.4%), agoraphobia (4.7%), generalized anxiety disorder (4.2%), panic disorder (1.4%), obsessive-compulsive disorder (1.4%), and post-traumatic stress disorder (0.9%). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, large sibship (OR = 6.18; p < 0.0001); female gender (OR = 2.42; p = 0.048); not having a best friend (OR = 6.34; p = 0.001), infrequent interaction with friends (OR = 9.32; p = 0.011) and lower family functioning score (OR = 0.67; p = 0.040) emerged as the significant predictors of anxiety disorder. Conclusions: This study showed that adolescent anxiety disorders are as prevalent in our local environment in Nigeria as reported elsewhere in Africa and worldwide, with social phobia being the most prevalent and panic disorder and OCD the least prevalent. In addition, anxiety disorders showed significant associations with female gender, large sibship family, parental psychopathology, perceived family dysfunction, and impaired peer relations.

Background: Depressive disorders, with a prevalence of 15 – 21%, are among the most common disorders in children and adolescents, and increases the risk of suicide, the second leading cause of death in children aged 10 to 19. Aim: To determine the prevalence and correlates of depressive disorders among senior students attending secondary schools in Abeokuta. Method: The study was conducted in five schools randomly selected from a representative sample and was carried out in 2 phases. In the first phase, students were selected via systematic random sampling and given consent forms and GHQ-12 to administer to the parents. In the second phase, students who returned a signed informed consent form and filled out GHQ-12 were interviewed using MINI-KID, Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale, Family-APGAR, and sociodemographic questionnaire. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted with p-value <0.05 as level of significance. Results: The mean age was 15.3 years (SD=1.27); 48.8% were male. The twelve-month prevalence of major depression was 11.3% and dysthymia was 1.4%. In the final regression analysis, female gender [OR=4.3, p=0.046], the experience of bullying [OR=7.96, p=0.004], difficulty getting along with friends, [OR=7.5, p=0.004], history of sexual abuse [OR=8.1, p=0.01], and perceived family dysfunction [OR=4.9, p=0,023] were found to be independent predictors of depressive disorders Conclusion: Depressive syndromes are a significant health burden in adolescents. Being female, being bullied, having a history of sexual abuse, and family dysfunctionality are risk factors associated with depression among these population.

Children with chronic health conditions need substantial care to address all aspects of their health and recovery. Parents (caregivers) often shoulder significant financial, physical, social, and emotional responsibilities in meeting these needs. When access to vital resources such as information, financial support, and respite care is limited, parents’ physical and emotional well-being can suffer, exacerbating the stress associated with caregiving. This study aims to determine the prevalence and correlates of chronic back pain, depression, and anxiety in caregivers of children with chronic diseases in three tertiary hospitals in Nigeria and the associations with burden of care. A cross-sectional study of caregivers of children under 18 years with chronic medical conditions from three tertiary hospitals in Nigeria was conducted. A sociodemographic questionnaire, Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS), Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were administered. Principal component analysis, multiple linear regression, and mediation analyses were conducted. 184 caregivers, mostly females (84%) and mothers (80%) participated. Mean age for this group was approximately 37 years-old (SD = 7.98). Results from multiple regression analyses indicated that the total burden of care predicted higher levels of depression (p < 0.01, 95% CI = [0.32, 0.74]) and higher levels of anxiety (p = 0.02, 95% CI = [0.09, 1.03]). Findings from the mediation analyses indicated that the burden of care did not mediate the relationship between back pain and depression (p = 0.13) and back pain and anxiety (p = 0.53). This study highlights the high prevalence of anxiety, depression, and chronic back pain among caregivers of children with chronic medical conditions in Nigeria. Caregiver burden and chronic back pain are also associated with anxiety and depression.