Table 3.
Associations between parental absence, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and mental health problems among male and female youth aged 18–24, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Lesotho, Mozambique, and Namibia Violence Against Children and Youth Surveys (VACS).
| Females | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model 1 | Model 2 | Model 3 | Model 4 | ||
| aOR, 95% CI | aOR, 95% CI | aOR, 95% CI | aOR, 95% CI | ||
| Moderate/serious psychological distress | Any parental absence | 1.64 (1.11–2.43) | 1.52 (1.02–2.26) | ||
| Any maternal absence | 1.94 (1.20–3.14) | 1.65 (1.02–2.68) | |||
| Any paternal absence | 1.39 (0.93–2.08) | 1.39 (0.9–2.14) | |||
| ACEs | 1.96 (1.3–2.95) | 2.00 (1.32–3.01) | 2.03 (1.35–3.05) | 1.86 (1.21–2.86) | |
| Suicidal behaviors/ self-harm | Any parental absence | 1.40 (1.01–1.93) | 1.39 (0.96–2.02) | ||
| Any maternal absence | 1.23 (0.86–1.75) | 1.07 (0.72–1.58) | |||
| Any paternal absence | 1.51 (0.97–2.36) | 1.67 (1.02–2.74) | |||
| ACEs | 1.54 (1.01–2.34) | 1.54 (1.01–2.34) | 1.53 (1.00–2.35) | 1.41 (0.90–2.21) | |
| Substance use | Any parental absence | 0.67 (0.43–1.04) | 0.67 (0.43–1.05) | ||
| Any maternal absence | 0.72 (0.45–1.14) | 0.71 (0.45–1.12) | |||
| Any paternal absence | 0.92 (0.59–1.45) | 0.94 (0.59–1.51) | |||
| ACEs | 1.35 (0.79–2.31) | 1.38 (0.8–2.39) | 1.51 (0.85–2.69) | 1.19 (0.70–2.05) | |
| Males | |||||
| Moderate/ serious psychological distress | Any parental absence | 2.41 (1.26–4.61) | 2.22 (1.09–4.55) | ||
| Any maternal absence | 3.37 (1.64–6.96) | 3.01 (1.39–6.53) | |||
| Any paternal absence | 1.41 (0.72–2.76) | 1.33 (0.64–2.79) | |||
| ACEs | 4.68 (2.38–9.17) | 4.2 (2.15–8.23) | 4.09 (2.07–8.08) | 3.89 (1.79–8.43) | |
| Suicidal behaviors/ self-harm | Any parental absence | 1.62 (0.9–2.92) | 1.67 (0.88–3.18) | ||
| Any maternal absence | 1.88 (0.86–4.11) | 1.90 (0.80–4.53) | |||
| Any paternal absence | 1.03 (0.65–1.65) | 0.99 (0.60–1.63) | |||
| ACEs | 3.3 (1.79–6.06) | 3.35 (1.83–6.16) | 3.60 (1.96–6.62) | 3.89 (2.13–7.13) | |
| Substance use | Any parental absence | 1.52 (1.07–2.16) | 1.60 (1.09–2.34) | ||
| Any maternal absence | 1.56 (1.09–2.22) | 1.57 (1.06–2.32) | |||
| Any paternal absence | 1.31 (0.85–2.03) | 1.38 (0.85–2.22) | |||
| ACEs | 2.19 (1.40–3.42) | 2.27 (1.43–3.60) | 2.36 (1.47–3.80) | 2.38 (1.48–3.83) | |
CI = Confidence interval. aOR = Adjusted odds ratio (adjusted for education level and food insecurity). Bold typeface denotes statistically significant differences at the p < 0.05 level. All analyses accounted for the complex survey design of the VACS.
Model 1 = logistic regression model with any parental absence, maternal absence, paternal absence, and conventional ACEs as predictors in separate models; Model 2 = full logistic model with both any parental absence and conventional ACEs; Model 3 = full logistic model with both any maternal absence and conventional ACEs; Model 4 = full logistic model with both any paternal absence and conventional ACEs.