Prevalence and correlates of common mental health disorders, functioning and resilience among youth in Western Kenya. A cross-sectional study

Background Mental health disorders are a growing global public health concern. In Kenya, as in many low–and middle–income countries, youth mental health remains underprioritized. In Western Kenya, data on the prevalence and determinants of youth mental health are particularly scarce, despite the critical role such evidence plays in guiding effective and context–specific interventions. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and predictors of depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, functioning limitations and resilience among youth in Kitale and Bungoma towns in Western Kenya. Methods This cross–sectional analysis used baseline screening data from the “ We Matter Too ” randomized trial. A total of 631 youth aged 18–29 years, recruited at barbershops in Kitale and Bungoma, were assessed. Depression symptoms were measured using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), anxiety with Generalised anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), stress with Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), functioning with the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 and resilience with the Brief Resilience Scale. Logistic regression models identified predictors of the outcomes; ordinal regression tested robustness. Results Prevalence of depression, anxiety, and moderate/high stress symptoms, and functional limitations was 32.7% [95% CI: 29.0–36.3], 36.5% [95% CI: 32.7–40.2], 88.0% [95% CI: 85.4–90.5], and 71.0% [95% CI: 67.5–74.5], respectively. Resilience was observed in 48.0% [95% CI: 44.1–51.9]. Key self–identified problems faced included unemployment, financial hardship, and intimate relationship issues. Depression was significantly associated with education, marital status, employment, and Psychological Outcome Profiles (PSYCHLOPS) scores indicative of severity of self–identified problems. Anxiety was associated with age, town, education, employment and PSYCHLOPS scores. Stress, disability, and resilience were associated with town of residence and PSYCHLOPS scores. Conclusion The study identified a high burden of self–reported symptoms indicative of common mental health disorders among urban literate youth in western Kenya. These symptoms were primarily associated with the severity of self-identified problems and the town of residence. To address the underlined youth mental health challenges in this context, targeted interventions should prioritize unemployment, economic hardship, and intimate relationships, while acknowledging the social and structural processes of wellbeing. Trial registration Clinical trial number: Not applicable