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Background: Adolescent mental health issues are emerging as a significant public health concern across many low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa. This study aims to evaluate the aggregated prevalence and contributing risk factors of mental health distress among adolescents in Africa. Methodology: A comprehensive search of PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and HINARI databases was conducted to identify relevant articles on the prevalence and risk factors associated with mental health distress among African adolescents, published up to December 2023. The quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Scale. Heterogeneity among the studies was evaluated using the I² statistical test. Potential publication bias was assessed through a funnel plot and Egger's statistical test. This systematic review was registered with PROSPERO under reference number CRD42023494665. Results: Eighteen studies encompassing data from 37,016 adolescents were included in the analysis. The overall prevalence of mental health distress among adolescents in Africa was found to be 27.34% (95% CI: 23.18–31.50). The occurrence of mental health distress is observed in older adolescents at a prevalence of 29.44% (95% CI: 23.26–35.66) and in younger adolescents at 24.73% (95% CI: 11.96–37.51). Significant risk factors identified included bullying victimization, with an odds ratio (POR) of 1.30 (95% CI: 1.16, 1.46), and experiencing hunger, with an odds ratio (POR) of 2.10 (95% CI: 1.13, 3.91). Conclusion: The findings indicate a high prevalence of mental health distress among adolescents in Africa, highlighting the widespread impact on this demographic. These results underscore the urgent need for targeted interventions to prevent and address mental health distress among adolescents. Further research on a global scale is essential to develop effective prevention and treatment strategies tailored to this age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to add to the literature on suicidality in Africa by estimating the prevalence and exploring the behavioural correlates of suicide attempts among in-school adolescents in Benin City, Nigeria. Utilising a cross-sectional design, participants were a random, stratified sample of students who filled out questionnaires to identify various determinants of suicidal attempts among adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19. We used bivariate and multivariate analyses to determine associations between suicide attempts and other variables. A total of 725 adolescents completed the instruments. Over 13.5% reported suicidal ideation, and approximately 10.5% reported that they had attempted suicide in the last year. At the multivariate level, adolescents who attempted suicide had significantly greater odds of being anxious, lonely, or victims of bullying behaviour. Individuals experiencing persistently sad moods, suicidal thoughts and plans were significantly associated with suicide attempts. Suicidal ideation and attempts are prevalent among adolescents. Assessment of anxiety, loneliness, and persistently sad moods as risk factors for suicide attempts among adolescents is vital. Indicators of bullying appear to be particularly relevant to the risk of suicide attempts among adolescents and should be given attention as part of risk assessments. We suggest that bullying prevention programs and early identification of the risk factors be a vital part of strategies for initiating and maintaining public health interventions pitched toward suicide prevention in Nigeria and Africa. This study will, in addition, provide a baseline for future studies on suicidal behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: HIV remains a leading cause of death for adolescents and young people aged 10–24 years. HIV prevention requires multisectoral approaches that target adolescents and young people, addressing HIV risk pathways (e.g., transactional sex, gender-based violence, and school attendance) through bundled interventions that combine economic strengthening, health capabilities, and gender equality education. However, best practices are unknown because evidence on multisectoral programming targeted to adolescents and combining these components has not been systematically reviewed. Methods: We conducted a systematic review to summarize the evidence on bundled interventions combining health and economic strengthening components for adolescents and young people and their effects on HIV/STI incidence and risk factors. We included studies from Africa published between 2005 and 2023, combining at least one economic strengthening and one health component, directed toward adolescents and young people aged 10–24 years. Included studies measured programmatic impacts on primary outcomes: HIV and STI incidence/prevalence; and mediators as secondary outcomes: sexual behaviours, sexual and reproductive health, school attendance, health-seeking behaviours, and violence. We conducted key word searches in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science, imported titles/abstracts from the initial search, and reviewed them using the inclusion criteria. Full texts of selected articles were reviewed and information was extracted for analysis. Findings from the full texts identified were summarized. Results: We reviewed 58 studies, including 43 quantitative studies and 15 qualitative studies, evaluating 26 unique interventions. A majority of studies reviewed were conducted in Eastern and Southern Africa. Interventions reviewed showed a greater number of significant results in improving economic outcomes; mental health and psychosocial outcomes; sexual and reproductive health knowledge and services utilization; and HIV prevention knowledge and testing. They showed fewer significant results in improving outcomes related to HIV incidence/prevalence; sexual risk behaviours; gender-based violence; gender attitudes; education; STI incidence, prevalence and testing; and sexual debut. Conclusions: Our review demonstrated the potential for bundled, multisectoral interventions for preventing HIV and facilitating safe transitions to adulthood. Findings have implications for designing HIV sensitive programmes on a larger scale, including how interventions may need to address multiple strata of the social ecological model to achieve success in the prevention of HIV and related pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]