Myer L., Stein D.J., Jackson P.B., Herman A.A., Seedat S., Williams D.R.
School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Sociology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States; National School of Public Health, University of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus, Pretoria, South Africa; MRC Stress and Anxiety Disorders Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, W Cape, South Africa; Department of Society Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
Myer, L., School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Stein, D.J., Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; Jackson, P.B., Department of Sociology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States; Herman, A.A., National School of Public Health, University of Limpopo, Medunsa Campus, Pretoria, South Africa; Seedat, S., MRC Stress and Anxiety Disorders Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Tygerberg, W Cape, South Africa; Williams, D.R., Department of Society Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
There are few data from South Africa and other low- and middle-income countries on how mental disorders in childhood and adolescence may influence different aspects of socio-economic position, including educational attainment. We examined the association between early-onset disorders and subsequent educational achievement in a nationally representative sample of 4 351 South African adults. After adjusting for participant demographic characteristics and traumatic life events, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder and substance-related disorders were each associated with increased odds of failing to complete secondary education (odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals 2.3, 1.0-5.1; 1.7, 1.2-2.5, and 1.7, 1.2-2.5, respectively). These data point to the role that early-life mental disorders may play in educational achievement and subsequent socio-economic position over the life course.
academic achievement; adolescent; alcohol abuse; anxiety disorder; article; child; drug dependence; female; high school; human; major depression; male; mental disease; onset age; posttraumatic stress disorder; South Africa; substance abuse; adult; educational status; health survey; mental disease; psychological aspect; risk; risk factor; South Africa; Adolescent; Adult; Age of Onset; Child; Educational Status; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Mental Disorders; Odds Ratio; Risk Factors; South Africa