Urban Mozambican youth in Nigeria often face significant social, economic, and cultural challenges that contribute to high rates of depression. Community-wide mental health campaigns have been implemented to address these issues, but their effectiveness remains under-researched. The study employed participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions with key stakeholders including community leaders, healthcare providers, and young participants. Data were analysed using thematic content analysis to understand the campaign's impact from multiple perspectives. Community-wide mental health campaigns showed a notable reduction in depressive symptoms among urban Mozambican youth, with an average of 20% decrease in reported depression levels after two years of consistent engagement. The findings suggest that comprehensive community-led initiatives can effectively address mental health issues among marginalized groups like urban Mozambican youth in Nigeria. Further research should investigate the sustainability and scalability of these campaigns, while policymakers could consider integrating similar programmes into existing healthcare frameworks to enhance their reach and impact.
Adeyemi et al. (Mon,) studied this question.