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. 2023 Jul 19;17(1):91.
doi: 10.1186/s13034-023-00637-4.

Generalized anxiety disorder screening using gad-7 among in-school adolescents of anambra state, nigeria: a comparative study between urban and rural areas

Ahoma Victor Mbanuzuru  1 , Rechard Uwakwe  2 , Chinekwu Sochukwu Anyaoku  3 , Anastacia Okwudili Ojimba  4 , Mary Chinyere Mbanuzuru  5 , Chijioke Amara Ezenyeaku  6 , Darlington Chukwudinma Obi  7 , Christiana Nkiru Okafor  8 , Uchenna Prosper Okonkwo  9
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Generalized anxiety disorder screening using gad-7 among in-school adolescents of anambra state, nigeria: a comparative study between urban and rural areas

Ahoma Victor Mbanuzuru et al. Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. .

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have reported that general anxiety disorder manifestations differ in diverse settings.

Objective: To determine and compare the prevalence of probable anxiety disorders among in-school adolescents in urban and rural areas of Anambra State.

Methods: A total of 1187 in-school adolescents were recruited using a multi-stage sampling technique. The study instrument was an interviewer-administered pretested questionnaire adopted from General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7). Data were analyzed with the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.

Result: One hundred and twenty of the participants out of the 1187 (10.1%) were found to have probable generalized anxiety disorders using GAD-7 as screening tool. The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety disorder revealed that urban participants had a higher prevalence compared to their rural counterparts (11% vs. 8.8%), while females had a higher prevalence compared to the males in the ratio of 3:2 (or 12% vs. 8%). The prevalence of symptoms of anxiety disorders among females was higher than that of males even when compared based on a rural and urban settings. When all other variables are held constant, urban participants were found to have a 50% higher chance of being identified with anxiety disorders compared to their rural participants (OR = 1.500, C.I.:1.002-2.246, p = 0.049).

Conclusion: The prevalence of probable anxiety disorders was found in 10% of the participants. The females have a higher propensity to exhibit symptoms of anxiety disorders than the males. Anxiety status affects how adolescents view their general health. The study started from the date of approval by the West African College of Physicians on the 21 February 2017, but Ethical Clearance from NAUTHEC was given on the 19th December 2016.

Keywords: Adolescents; Anambra State; Anxiety disorder; Prevalence; School; Urban and rural areas.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Distribution of GAD-7 scores
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder in the participants
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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