The prevalence of depression and it's association with risky behaviors among secondary school adoloscents in Mbale district, Uganda.
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Date
2026-08-03
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Busitema University
Abstract
Background:
Adolescent mental health is a growing public health concern globally with depression being one of the leading causes of disability among young people. In Uganda, especially in Mbale District, adolescents in secondary schools face multiple challenges such as academic pressure, poverty, peer influence, unstable home environments, and limited access to mental-health service. These stressors increase vulnerability to depression and related behavioral problems. At the same time, risky behavior like substance use, unsafe sexual activity, violence and absenteeism are common in schools. Studies show that adolescents experiencing depression are more likely to engage in such behaviors due to emotional distress, poor judgement and lack of coping skills. Despite this, there is limited local evidence linking depression and risk-taking among adolescents in Mbale, highlighting the need for more focused research and school-based mental health programs.
Methods:
A cross-sectional descriptive study was employed to develop both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. It will be purely a secondary school-based study on different school going adolescents in Mbale district.
Data will be collected basing on questionnaires given to different secondary school students in secondary schools in Mbale district and data completeness will be checked before carrying out complete analysis using a check list.
Results: A total of 308 secondary school adolescents participated in the study. The prevalence of depression was 8.17% (25/308). Most participants (85.39%) had no depressive symptoms, while 6.17%, 5.19%, and 3.25% had mild, moderate, and moderately severe depression, respectively. Common risky behaviors reported included engagement in sexual activity (42.2%), viewing or sharing explicit content (32.8%), bullying or being bullied (41.6%), skipping school (34.1%), and exposure to friends who use drugs (26.0%). At bivariate analysis, depression was significantly associated with age, residence, class level, and experiencing a major life event. In multivariable analysis, adolescents aged 18–19 years were more likely to experience depression compared to those aged 13–17 years (AOR=20.33, 95% CI: 2.39–173.08, p=0.006), while experiencing a major life event increased the likelihood of depression threefold (AOR=3.00, p=0.017). Although risky behaviors were more common among depressed adolescents, the association was not statistically significant after adjustment for confounding factors.
Conclusion:
The study concluded that depression affected 8.17% of secondary school adolescents in Mbale District, with most students showing no clinically significant symptoms. However, a notable proportion experienced mild to moderately severe depression. Common risky behaviors included sexual risk-taking, bullying, school absenteeism, physical fights, and substance use. Older adolescents (18–19 years) and those who had experienced major life events were more likely to be depressed. Although risky behaviors were more common among depressed adolescents, the association was not statistically significant after adjusting for confounders. Overall, the findings highlight that depression remains an important mental health concern among adolescents, emphasizing the need for early identification and targeted school-based interventions.
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Citation
Masaba, M. (2026). The prevalence of depression and it’s association with risky behaviors among secondary school adoloscents in Mbale District, Uganda. [Undergraduate, Research report]. Busitema University.