Table 2.
Mean comparison with ANOVA of contextual factors of the study participants on mental health condition: poor versus good
| Variables | Scale | Good mental health M (SD) and % | Poor mental health M (SD) and % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male/Female | female 57.8% | female 63.2% |
| Age in years | 38.39 (15.29) | 38.83 (15.73) | |
| Marital status*** | Yes/No (married = 1, others = 0) | married 87.7% | married 70.6% |
| Educ. in years | 5.97 (3.57) | 5.58 (3.76) | |
| Literacy** | Yes/No | Yes 72.4% | Yes 59.6% |
| Household size | 5.46 (2.28) | 5.25 (2.21) | |
| Income (MWK: Malawi Kwacha) | 12296.00 | 9273.73 | |
| Wealth Index (radio, TV, mobile phone, electricity, running water) | Yes/No; sum scale range: min. 0 to max. 5 | .95 (1.02) | .87 (1.00) |
| Hunger*** | Likert 5-point scale from 1 to 5 | 2.60 (1.52) | 3.18 (1.39) |
| Anxiety about health situation*** | Likert 5-point scale from 1 to 5 | 1.78 (1.22) | 2.25 (1.38) |
| Diarrhea** | Likert 6-point scale from 1 to 6 | 1.42 (.67) | 1.62 (.90) |
Note. *p ≤ .05, **p ≤ .01, ***p ≤ .001. Good mental health N = 467; poor mental health N = 171. Questions: Do you suffer from hunger often? Measure ranged from 1 – never to 5 – very often. How anxious are you about the future situation of your family? How frequently do you suffer from diarrhea? Response: from 1 - never to 6 - more than one day per week