Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of common mental disorders among first-year university students in post-apartheid South Africa: implications for a public mental health approach to student wellness

Jason Bantjes; Christine Lochner; Wylene Saal; Janine Roos; Lian Taljaard; Daniel Page; Randy P. Auerbach; Philippe Mortier; Ronny Bruffaerts; Ronald C. Kessler; Dan J. Stein

doi:10.1186/s12889-019-7218-y

Table 4 Multivariate analysis of sociodemographic predictors of internalising disorders, bipolar spectrum disorder, and externalising disorders among first year university students in South Africa (n = 1402)

From: Prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of common mental disorders among first-year university students in post-apartheid South Africa: implications for a public mental health approach to student wellness

	Predictor Distribution in total sample %	Internalising disorders			Bipolar spectrum disorder			Externalising disorders
		Lifetime aOR (95%CI)	12-month aOR (95%CI)	12-month prevalence among lifetime cases aOR (95%CI)	Lifetime aOR (95%CI)	12-month aOR (95%CI)	12-month prevalence among lifetime cases aOR (95%CI)	Lifetime aOR (95%CI)	12-month aOR (95%CI)	12-month prevalence among lifetime cases aOR (95%CI)
Gender (female	55.2	1.84 (1.46–2.33)*	1.89 (1.47–2.45)*	1.36 (0.85–2.16)	0.61 (0.22–1.72)	0.50 (0.16–1.56)	0	0.66 (0.46–0.95)*	1.18 (0.79–1.77)	1.49 (0.73–3.07)
Population group (Black)	41.4	1.07 (0.84–1.37)	0.91 (0.70–1.18)	0.60 (0.38–0.96)*	1.01 (0.34–2.98)	0.86 (0.25–2.89)	0	0.57 (0.37–0.86)*	0.71 (0.46–1.11)	1.01 (0.43–2.38)
Age (21 years or older)	7.7	1.14 (0.75–1.73)	1.08 (0.69–1.70)	0.82 (0.37–1.81)	6.48 (1.96–21.39)*	3.32 (0.77–14.27)	0	1.71 (0.95–3.08)	1.41 (0.71–2.79)	0.93 (0.31–2.78)
First generation student	19.7	1.05 (0.77–1.43)	1.16 (0.84–1.61)	1.43 (0.80–2.56)	0.33 (0.08–1.44)	0.57 (0.13–2.59)	0	0.63 (0.36–1.11)	0.67 (0.37–1.22)	0.89 (0.31–2.62)
Sexual orientation (Atypical)	22.2	1.73 (1.32–2.28)*	1.68 (1.26–2.24)*	1.15 (0.70–1.91)	5.28 (1.85–15.07)*	4.02 (1.28–12.64)*	0	1.67 (1.09–2.55)*	1.78 (1.13–2.80)*	1.36 (0.61–3.06)
Disability	18.4	1.56 (1.17–2.07)*	1.39 (1.03–1.88)*	0.87 (0.52–1.45)	5.99 (2.12–16.97)*	6.62 (2.14–20.45)*	0	1.05 (0.66–1.69)	1.40 (0.87–2.24)	1.70 (0.65–4.43)
		R² = 0.057	R² = 0.048	R² = 0.021	R² = 0.150	R² = 0.117		R² = 0.036	R² = 0.021	R² = 0.035
		X²(6) = 58.41	X²(6) = 46.95	X²(6) = 6.52	X²(6) = 25.13	X² (6) = 16.88		X²(6) = 24.15	X² (6) = 12.24	X² (6) = 3.51
		p = 0.00	p = 0.00	p = 0.37	p = 0.00	p = 0.01		p < 0.00	p = 0.06	p = 0.74

aOR adjusted odds ratio
95%CI 95% confidence interval
*Significant findings are indicated in bold (α =0.05)

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