Prevalence of depressive symptoms among secondary school adolescents in Dodoma and Pwani, Tanzania

Divine Patrick Mwaluli, Amani Angumbwike Mwakalapuka, Joshua Joel Matiku and Jamal Jumanne Athuman

PLOS Mental Health, 2026, vol. 3, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: Adolescent depression is a growing public health concern, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where mental health resources are limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms among secondary school adolescents in the Dodoma and Pwani Regions of Tanzania and to explore associations with key demographic factors. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1009 secondary school adolescents in the Dodoma and Pwani regions of Tanzania. The Swahili version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to assess depressive symptoms. Descriptive statistics were used to determine prevalence, while associations between depression scores and demographic variables were analysed using Chi-square, one-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis H tests, with the magnitude of association reported as Cramér’s V for the Chi-square test. Overall, 62% of adolescents exhibited depressive symptoms ranging from mild to severe, with 37% mild, 17% moderate, 6% moderately severe, and 2% severe. Depressive symptoms were significantly associated with age, region, gender, and parental living arrangement (p

Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pmen00:0000518

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmen.0000518

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