The relationship between multidimensional poverty, income poverty and youth depressive symptoms: cross-sectional evidence from Mexico, South Africa and Colombia

What is it about?

Poverty has a big effect on a young person's life. It has been linked with depression and other mental health issues that can affect one's life chances. Most studies have focused on income poverty or a lack of money to understand the link between poverty and mental health outcomes. But poverty can also mean a lack of or limited access to education, healthcare services, and shelter, among other things. The effects of the different dimensions of poverty on depression in youth have not been explored well. This study examines the different aspects of poverty to understand its impact on the mental well-being of youth aged 11 to 25 years.

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Photo by Joice Kelly on Unsplash

Photo by Joice Kelly on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Different cultural, social, and economic factors influence the relationship between mental health and poverty in young people. Researchers analyzed this relationship across three upper-middle-income countries: South Africa, Mexico, and Colombia. They found a clear link between depression and deprivations besides income poverty among young people in Columbia and Mexico. In these countries, they found a link between depression and individual factors like not doing well in school or engaging in child labor. But in South Africa depression in the youth was linked to household factors like parents' literacy level or employment status. There was a direct link between income poverty and depression in the South African youth. KEY TAKEAWAY: Mental health is influenced by different dimensions of poverty, which vary across countries and cultures. Understanding these dimensions can help in formulating policies that enhance the mental well-being of a nation's youth.