Mental health: the role of health status and economic wellbeing in Mozambique
1
1 Centre d'Estudis Demogràfics-CERCA, Bellatera, Barcelona, Spain
2
2 Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2529
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Common mental health disorders are rising in Mozambique¹. Simultaneously, the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors increased over the last decade, with 32% having hypertension and 4% diabetes². Their relationship and correlates have been studied in several countries, but remain underexplored in Mozambique. This study examines how health status, economic wellbeing, and household composition are associated with mental health outcomes in Mozambique, a context shaped by economic migration and internal displacement due to violence and natural disasters.
METHODS:
We analyzed data from 9,852 respondents in the 2022–2023 Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey, including men and women aged 18–49 years. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were measured using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 instruments. We estimated stratified multilevel ordinal logistic regression models, incorporating random effects at the individual and census cluster levels. Key independent variables included self-reported diagnoses of chronic conditions (hypertension, diabetes, lung disease, and heart disease), household wealth quintile, household size, and household composition. Models controlled for age, education, employment status, marital status, migration status, urban residence, cluster altitude, and province.
RESULTS:
For both genders, having a chronic condition (OR: 1.73 (0.39) – 2.23 (0.35)) and being divorced, widowed, or separated were associated with higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Men living in urban areas had higher odds of reporting more depressive symptoms. Women living in districts affected by floods or violence had higher odds of reporting more depressive and anxiety symptoms. Consistent employment was associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms for both genders and of anxiety symptoms among women only. Household wealth and household composition were not significantly associated with either outcome.
CONCLUSIONS:
Chronic disease status is an important predictor of depressive and anxiety symptoms in Mozambique. Regional differences showed that women in northern regions are seemingly more affected by depressive and anxiety symptoms.
Common mental health disorders are rising in Mozambique¹. Simultaneously, the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors increased over the last decade, with 32% having hypertension and 4% diabetes². Their relationship and correlates have been studied in several countries, but remain underexplored in Mozambique. This study examines how health status, economic wellbeing, and household composition are associated with mental health outcomes in Mozambique, a context shaped by economic migration and internal displacement due to violence and natural disasters.
METHODS:
We analyzed data from 9,852 respondents in the 2022–2023 Mozambique Demographic and Health Survey, including men and women aged 18–49 years. Symptoms of depression and anxiety were measured using the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 instruments. We estimated stratified multilevel ordinal logistic regression models, incorporating random effects at the individual and census cluster levels. Key independent variables included self-reported diagnoses of chronic conditions (hypertension, diabetes, lung disease, and heart disease), household wealth quintile, household size, and household composition. Models controlled for age, education, employment status, marital status, migration status, urban residence, cluster altitude, and province.
RESULTS:
For both genders, having a chronic condition (OR: 1.73 (0.39) – 2.23 (0.35)) and being divorced, widowed, or separated were associated with higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Men living in urban areas had higher odds of reporting more depressive symptoms. Women living in districts affected by floods or violence had higher odds of reporting more depressive and anxiety symptoms. Consistent employment was associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms for both genders and of anxiety symptoms among women only. Household wealth and household composition were not significantly associated with either outcome.
CONCLUSIONS:
Chronic disease status is an important predictor of depressive and anxiety symptoms in Mozambique. Regional differences showed that women in northern regions are seemingly more affected by depressive and anxiety symptoms.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
