Generalized Anxiety Disorder And Associated Factors Among Sudanese Adolescents During The Sudan Army Conflict: A Cross Sectional Study

Abstract

Abstract Background A feeling of fear and nervousness about something happening now or in the future is called anxiety. The causes of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are not fully understood. Some studies suggest that there may be a combination of many factors, such as genetics, variations in brain chemistry and environmental effects. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder in Sudanese adolescents after the Sudanese army conflict started in 2023. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional community-based study was carried out among all Sudanese adolescents between 13 and 18 years old who were living in Sudan at the start of the conflict by using a self-administered questionnaire under the guidance of parents, if necessary. The questionnaire was adapted from the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 checklist for the assessment of GAD symptoms. The questionnaire was translated into Arabic by expert translators, and its validity and reliability were confirmed. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25 software, and descriptive analysis and any appropriate statistical tests were performed. Results Among the 855 participants, the mean age was 16.46 years, 66.8%were female, and 50.8% had generalized anxiety disorder. There was a significant relationship between GAD score, sex, age, current residency status, and traumatic event exposure, with P values less than 0.001 for all variables. Conclusion GAD was highly prevalent among the Sudanese adolescents included in the present study. The findings will help the government to provide proper mental health interventions for affected people.