Prevalence and correlates of psychological distress (using a 2-item screener) among national samples of in-school adolescents in four Caribbean countries

Abstract

The study aimed to provide estimates on psychological distress (PD) among adolescents in four Caribbean countries. Nationally representative data were analysed from 9,143 adolescents (15 years median age) who took part in the cross-sectional Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) in the Dominican Republic, Suriname, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago in 2016–2017. Each Caribbean country varies by its locational and language context. Results indicate that overall, 18.6% of students reported PD, which was the highest in Jamaica (22.0%) and lowest in the Dominican Republic (16.9%). In adjusted logistic regression analysis, factors associated with PD included being bullied, female sex, increasing age, frequent experience of hunger, parents never check home work, parental disrespect of privacy, daily passive smoking, high (≥8 hours/day) leisure-time sedentary behaviour, serious injury, had two or more sexual partners in lifetime and having obesity. In addition, in unadjusted analysis, compared to students from the Dominican Republic, students from Jamaica and Suriname, those who had been physically attacked, involved in physical fighting, experienced parental emotional neglect, were school truant and engaged in substance use (tobacco, cannabis and alcohol) had higher odds for PD. Almost one in five of the participating students had PD. Several factors associated with PD were found which can help in designing intervention strategies.