Executive Summary
In furtherance of our work on SGBV prevention, the adolescent wellness hub project promotes mental wellness among adolescents. This is owing to our experience interacting with different groups of adolescents and identifying the effects of SGBV and other social issues on their mental health.
Understanding the Need
According to the World Health Organization, one in seven, 10 - 19 years old experience mental disorders and account for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group. The myths on mental illness, shortage of mental health practitioners and care givers, limited budgetary allocation on mental health in Nigeria, accounts for a high caseload of depression, and ranks Nigeria 15th in the global index of suicide occurrence. Our experience working with adolescents in Ekiti State, identified that low socioeconomic status, positive history of sexual abuse, family dysfunction, witnessed frequent violence, death of a mother are significantly and independently associated to depression in children and adolescents
