Less than half of adolescents in Mombasa have positive mental well-being - Report

Less than half of adolescents and young people in Mombasa have positive mental well-being, with one in five having indications of depression.

8 out of 10 young people aged 18 to 24 are living in poverty and this negatively impacts their healthcare access and mental health.

Only 10% of adolescents and young people are getting enough physical exercise.

These are some of the main findings from the Mombasa Youth Study report launched by the international humanitarian organization, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in collaboration with the Mombasa County Department of Health.

The study focused on the health, healthcare, social life, and well-being of young people in Mombasa.

“MSF conducted several large digital surveys and in-depth interviews collecting data from nearly 1,800 adolescents, young people, and healthcare workers in Mombasa,” explained Dr. Denton Callander from MSF.

“The report covers our first findings from the study, however, data collection is ongoing. This means we can investigate if the health of adolescents and young people is improving or getting worse over time.” Dr Callander said.

Globally, adolescents and young people face unique health and well-being challenges along with unequal health outcomes.

These include sexual and reproductive health issues like teenage pregnancies, sexual and gender-based violence, mental health struggles and substance abuse, and Mombasa youth are not an exception.

The Mombasa Youth Study 2023 Report explores these issues but also intends to provide a more comprehensive description of Mombasa’s youth.

It delves into the impact of digital life and social media, disability, and the socio-economic well-being challenges and factors associated to their health.

The report also brings further evidence for policy making and backs existing strategies.

In the new Adolescents and Youth strategy launched this year, Mombasa County’s health focus for adolescents shifted from just sexual and reproductive health to a broader approach.

The study also assessed healthcare workers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards potentially sensitive health topics such as substance use, early pregnancy, and mental health. This was achieved with a confidential survey from 222 clinical and non-clinical County healthcare workers.

This report thus shows that young people in Mombasa face economic, mental health, social and structural issues which impact their health and well-being.

Investments that enhance their economic well-being, job creation policies, employability skills, capacity building strategies and innovation are a stake in the nation’s public health future.