Prevalence of Depression among Adolescents in Narok County Kenya

Abstract

Depression is one of the most prevalent common mental disorders globally. This condition is also known to be a risk factor for other conditions such as suicidality, drug use disorders and delinquency among others. Understanding the prevalence of depression is important in designing intervention strategies. The sample size included 16 public secondary schools with 396 participants. Simple random and stratified sampling techniques were used. Data were collected using standardized questionnaire for depression, the PHQ 9. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that across all the different types of schools, most of the students had a low levels of depression. The highest number of students with low or moderate levels of depression were in mixed boarding schools followed by mixed day secondary schools. The study recommends provision of resources to help strengthen the school guidance and counseling departments. Strengthening the relationships between parents, learning institutions and adolescents through regular engagement.