Urbanicity of place of birth and symptoms of psychosis, depression and anxiety in Uganda.
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.
Lundberg
Patric
P
Department of Health Sciences, Lund University, University Hospital UMAS, Malmö, Sweden. patric.lundberg@ki.se
Cantor-Graae
Elizabeth
E
Rukundo
Godfrey
G
Ashaba
Schola
S
Ostergren
Per-Olof
PO
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