Background: More than half of the world's refugees reside in non-camp settings, including urban

Worldwide, children who grow up under adverse conditions risk the development of mental health problems. However, reliable data on the estimated magnitude of mental disorders of PTSD, depression and their associated factors among maltreated children and adolescents in low- and middle-income-countries (LMICs) is still lacking. This study estimated the magnitude of PTSD, depression and the associated factors among the children and adolescents with ahistory of maltreatment in Southwestern Uganda. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we assessed 232 children and adolescents on the prevalence of PTSD using Child PTSD Symptoms Scale for DSM-5 – Self-Report (CPSS-VSR) and Depression using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC). Predictor variables were taken from the Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology of Exposure- Paediatric Version (Pedi MACE). Logistic regressions analyses were selected for statistical modelling while odds-ratios were calculated to assess the strength of associations between the predictor and outcome variables. Results In total, 140 (60%) participants fulfiled diagnostic criteria for PTSD and 91 (39%) for depression respectively. Predictor variables of PTSD were witnessing intimate partner violence (OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.19–1.83, p = <0.001), having lived in more than two homes (OR = 2.69, 95%CI: 1.34–5.41, p = .005), and being cared for by non-relatives (OR = 2.25; 95%CI: 2.26–223.9, p = .008). Variables predicting depression were witnessing intimate partner violence (OR = 1.30; 95%CI: 108–1.57, p = .006); being cared for by non-relatives (OR = 5.62, 95%CI: 1.36–23.1, p = .001) and being female (OR = .054, 95% CI: 0.30–1.00, p = .005). Conclusion Children living under adverse conditions are at a higher risk of developing PTSD and depression. We recommend interventions that aim at reducing adverse psychosocial stressors so as to improve or restore the children’s mental health. Abbreviations: PTSD: Post traumatic stress disorder; LMICs: Low- and middle-income countries; IPV: Intimate partner violence; OVC: Orphans and vulnerable children

Background: Globally about 1.7 million adolescents between the ages of 10 and 19 were living with HIV in 2019, of these, about 1.5 million were living in sub-Saharan Africa and approximately above 127,000 were living in Uganda. However uptake of ART is still low among adolescents especially in low income countries due to lack of information they need to understand HIV and its management. Therefore, we set out to explore the influence of mass media campaigns on promoting ART uptake among HIV positive adolescents in Southwestern Uganda.Methods: A phenomenological qualitative cross-sectional study design was adopted to explore the influence of mass media campaigns on the promotion of ART Uptake among adolescents. We conducted 7 FGDs with Adolescents living with HIV aged 10-19 years and 5 key informants’ interviews with the health care workers in the adolescents’ HIV clinic at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital. Data was transcribed verbatim and translated from Runyankole to English. Two researchers reviewed all the transcripts, developed a codebook identifying the emerging subthemes from which we manually generated the themes in relation to our research question. Results: Results revealed a large breadth of awareness and knowledge possessed by adolescents about mass media campaigns. This ranged from knowing the various messages that were being aired out and the channels which carried these messages. These campaigns acted as catalysts to ART uptake and adherence since they inspired participants to accept themselves thus managing a number of limitations. Our participants preferred broadcast media channels and messages that featured successful stories of HIV positive living people. Conclusion: HIV mass media campaigns promoted ART uptake among HIV positive adolescents. It is recommended that HIV health service providers take into account the unique needs and nature of adolescents while designing and airing out various media campaigns which would influence their positive living and thus leading to their increased health life expectancy.