title: Urbanicity of place of birth and symptoms of psychosis, depression and anxiety in Uganda.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mechanism underlying the association between urban birth/upbringing and increased schizophrenia risk is unknown. This study explored whether an urban effect might be present in a low-income country setting, where the ;urban' environment may have radically different components, for example urban architecture, pollution levels or social cohesion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential association of urbanicity of place of birth and symptoms of psychosis, depression and anxiety in Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ugandans aged 18-30 years (n = 646) were interviewed using the Peters et al Delusions Inventory (PDI-21), the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist (HSCL-25) and psychoticism items from the Symptoms Checklist 90-items version (SCL-90) in Mbarara and Kampala districts and asked about their birthplace.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Urban birth (but not semi-urban) was associated with more lifetime psychotic experiences, especially grandiosity, and more symptoms of psychosis, depression and anxiety during the past week.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The urban risk factor for schizophrenia may be universally present across different levels of human development, albeit the nature of the mechanism remains elusive.
authors: Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, University Hospital UMAS, Malmö, Sweden. patric.lundberg@ki.se
authors: Patric
authors: P
authors: Lundberg
authors: Elizabeth
authors: E
authors: Cantor-Graae
authors: Godfrey
authors: G
authors: Rukundo
authors: Schola
authors: S
authors: Ashaba
authors: Per-Olof
authors: PO
authors: Ostergren
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology; D003906:Developing Countries; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult