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Urbanicity of place of birth and symptoms of psychosis, depression and anxiety in Uganda

Lundberg, Patric LU ; Cantor-Graae, Elizabeth LU ; Rukundo, Godfrey ; Ashaba, Schola and Östergren, Per-Olof LU (2009) In British Journal of Psychiatry 195(2). p.156-162
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. Aims To investigate the potential association of urbanicity of place of birth and symptoms of psychosis, depression and anxiety in Uganda. Method 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... (More)
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. Aims To investigate the potential association of urbanicity of place of birth and symptoms of psychosis, depression and anxiety in Uganda. Method 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. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
British Journal of Psychiatry
volume
195
issue
2
pages
156 - 162
publisher
Cambridge University Press
external identifiers
  • wos:000268691700011
  • pmid:19648549
  • scopus:68549101706
ISSN
0007-1250
DOI
10.1192/bjp.bp.108.051953
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
410454d0-4833-4efa-9c29-7b62b89f102f (old id 1460102)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19648549?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:47:47
date last changed
2022-01-26 18:24:29
@article{410454d0-4833-4efa-9c29-7b62b89f102f,
  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. Aims To investigate the potential association of urbanicity of place of birth and symptoms of psychosis, depression and anxiety in Uganda. Method 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.}},
  author       = {{Lundberg, Patric and Cantor-Graae, Elizabeth and Rukundo, Godfrey and Ashaba, Schola and Östergren, Per-Olof}},
  issn         = {{0007-1250}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{156--162}},
  publisher    = {{Cambridge University Press}},
  series       = {{British Journal of Psychiatry}},
  title        = {{Urbanicity of place of birth and symptoms of psychosis, depression and anxiety in Uganda}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.108.051953}},
  doi          = {{10.1192/bjp.bp.108.051953}},
  volume       = {{195}},
  year         = {{2009}},
}