PREVALENCE AND CORRELATES OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS SYMPTOMS AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN ZARIA, NORTHWEST NIGERIA

Abstract

PTSD screen was Adolescents exposed to traumatic events are at risk of mental health problems such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS), Major Depression and Anxiety disorders which tend to have marked consequences on their emotional, behavioral and social development. Posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS), are usually as disabling as having full PTSD and may run a chronic course into adulthood. The prevalence of exposure to traumatic events in Southwest, Nigeria was shown to be between 34 and 40%. No data existed on the prevalence of PTSS or PTSD among adolescents in the Northern parts of the country. Obtaining information on traumatic exposure and their consequences is particularly important in view of the current terrorist activities predominantly occurring in the Northern parts of Nigeria. This study determined the prevalence of exposure to traumatic events and established the prevalence, pattern and correlates of PTSS and depression among secondary school students in Zaria, Northwest Nigeria. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study using a convenient sample of 6 secondary schools. The random sampling technique was carried out to select 536 participants from 4 public and 2 private schools located in Sabon Gari local government area (LGA) in Zaria. Several sections of -the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for school-age children-Present and lifetime (KSADS-PL) were used for assessment in this study. The Trauma Checklist was used to assess students who had been exposed to a traumatic event. All students were assessed with the Depression Module. Five hundred and thirty-six (536) students with an age range of 10 29 years and a mean age of 15.8 (SD: ±3.0) years were studied. There were slightly more males (51.9%) than females (48.8%). Almost half (47.9%) reported being exposed to a traumatic event, with, the most frequent event being ‘confronted with a traumatic news’ (18.5%). Traumatic events were commoner in females (60.1%) than males (36.7%). A prevalence of 12.7% was found for PTSS while, 2.0% met the diagnosis of PTSD. More females (17.4%) than males (8.8%) had PTSS symptoms. A prevalence of 5.8% was reported for depression among the students with females (6.6%) having a higher prevalence rate than males (4.0%). A higher proportion of students who had PTSS, also had depression (32.1%) compared to those that did not have PTSS (5.3%), (p<0.001). In view of the ongoing civil unrest in Northern Nigeria adolescents and young people are at a higher risk of traumatic exposure. Policymakers need to be aware of the effects of traumatic exposure on the mental health of adolescents and young people. Instituting school mental health services are a cost-effective way to aid in the early diagnosis and treatment of affected youths. used to determine those that had been exposed to a traumatic event while the