Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42124880›Full record

ArticleHealth science reports2026

Parenthood and Mental Health Among University Populations in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Cross-Sectional study.

Tuwani A Rasengane, Ngozika Esther Ezinne, Antor Ndep, Nnamdi John Eseme, Susarah Maria Richter, Kingsley E Agho, Ebele Gertrude Ejidike, Michael Agyemang Kwarteng, Kelechukwu Enyinnaya Ahaiwe, Nnaemeka Meribe and 10 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Health science reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

20 authors.

Tuwani A RasenganeDepartment of Optometry University of the Free State and Universitas Hospital Bloemfontein Free State South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6993-7905
Ngozika Esther EzinneBathurst Rural Clinical School, School of Medicine Western Sydney University Bathurst NSW Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3138-0213
Antor NdepDepartment of Public Health, Health Education & Health Promotion Unit, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences University of Calabar Calabar Cross River State Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3273-8195
Nnamdi John EsemeMenzies Institute for Medical Research University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania Australia.
Susarah Maria RichterDepartment of Optometry, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Johannesburg Johannesburg South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8229-8036
Kingsley E AghoSchool of Medicine, Faculty of Health Western Sydney University Campbelltown NSW Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4111-3207
Ebele Gertrude EjidikeDepartment of Optometry, Faculty of Health Sciences Madonna University Rivers State Elele Nigeria.
Michael Agyemang KwartengDepartment of Clinical Surgical Sciences, Optometry Unit University of the West Indies - St. Augustine Campus St. Augustine Debe Trinidad and Tobago.
Kelechukwu Enyinnaya AhaiweDepartment of Public Health, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences Central Queensland University Melbourne Victoria Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1293-5834
Nnaemeka MeribeCentre for Public Health, Equity and Human Flourishing (PHEHF) Torrens University Adelaide South Australia Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9800-3861
Obed Adonteng-KissiSchool of Arts and Humanities Edith Cowan University Southwest Campus 585 Robertson Dr Bunbury WA Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9324-7138
Edith Daniel-NwosuDepartment of Optometry Federal University of Technology Owerri Owerri Imo State Nigeria.
McHillary Ogiemudia OsamudiamenDepartment of Clinical Surgical Sciences, Optometry Unit University of the West Indies - St. Augustine Campus St. Augustine Debe Trinidad and Tobago.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1182-3822
Ike Onyebuchi OforbuikeDepartment of Optometry Bayero University Kano Kano Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5671-0245
Grace Obumneke OgbonnaDepartment of Optometry Mzuzu University Luwinga, Mzuzu 2 Malawi.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1728-0067
Isaura Ilorena d'Alva Brito Dos SantosDepartment of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine Eduardo Mondlane University Maputo Mozambique.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8723-7606
Okechi Ulumma AmaechiDepartment of Optometry, Faculty of Health Sciences Abia State University Uturu Abia State Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1606-8558
Ugochukwu E UzuegbuDepartment of Medical Biochemistry Delta State University Abraka Delta State Nigeria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7817-237X
Khathutshelo Percy MashigeAfrican Vision Research Institute, Discipline of Optometry University of KwaZulu-Natal Durban South Africa.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8199-0891
Uchechukwu Levi OsuagwuBathurst Rural Clinical School, School of Medicine Western Sydney University Bathurst NSW Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1727-6914

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background and Aims: This study examined the association between parenthood status and psychological well-being among university staff and students in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted across 22 universities in four SSA countries using convenience sampling. A total of 1189 university staff and students, including parents and non-parents, participated. Mental health outcomes were assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales (DASS-21). Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine associations between parenthood status and mental health outcomes after adjusting for sociodemographic and contextual factors. Results: Participants with children had lower odds of moderate depression (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.55; 95% CI 0.40-0.75) and severe anxiety (AOR = 0.65; 95% CI 0.50-0.86) compared with participants without children. Higher odds of severe mental health outcomes were observed among females and respondents from Malawi and Mozambique. Marital stability was associated with lower odds of severe depression and anxiety. Conclusions: Parenthood status was associated with lower odds of depression and anxiety among university staff and students in SSA. These findings highlight important sociodemographic and contextual differences in mental health within university populations and underscore the need for targeted, culturally responsive mental health interventions.

Indexed as

mental healthparenthoodpsychological well‐beingsub‐Saharan Africauniversity population

Identifiers

PMID42124880
PMCPMC13158280

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.