title: Association between psychosomatic health symptoms and common mental illness in Ghanaian adolescents: Age and gender as potential moderators.
abstract: Little is known about the role of age and gender in the association between psychosomatic symptoms and common mental illness in Ghanaian adolescents. This cross-sectional study examined age and gender as moderators between psychosomatic symptoms and common mental illness using data from a school-based survey ( N = 770). Males reported higher psychosomatic symptoms and common mental illness, while younger adolescents reported higher common mental illness only. Psychosomatic symptoms were positively associated with common mental illness, but age and gender did not moderate this association. Interventions aimed at reducing the prevalence rate in psychosomatic symptoms are crucial in decreasing common mental illness in Ghanaian adolescents.
authors.affiliation: 1 Regent University College of Science and Technology, Ghana.|2 University of Essex, UK.
authors.forename: Franklin N
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Glozah
authors.affiliation: 2 University of Essex, UK.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Pevalin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015995:Prevalence; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Ghana; adolescents; common mental illness; physical health; psychological well-being; psychosomatic health symptoms