Mental illness such as schizophrenia, depression, dementia, and other mental, and substance-use disorders constitute 13% of the global burden of disease. Schizophrenia in particular is a major public health problem, affecting almost 1% of the world's population. Although relatively rare, it is one of the most severe mental disorders. There are about 25 million people living with schizophrenia in low and middle income countries. Researchers in Butajira, Ethiopia have found the male-to-female prevalence of schizophrenia to be 5:1, though reasons for the gender differential in this setting remained unclear. Through an epidemiological, mixed-methods study, we sought to gain a better understanding of the potential causes or explanations for the gender difference in the prevalence of schizophrenia in rural Ethiopia.

Funder: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Partner: Addis Ababa University (AAU)

Lead Investigator: Dr. Christina P.C. Borba

• Ghebrehiwet S, Baul T, Restivo JL, Kelkile TS, Stevenson A, Gelaye B, Fekadu A, Hailemariam M, Girma E, Teferra S, Canelos V, Henderson DC, Borba CPC. Gender-specific experiences of serious mental illness in rural Ethiopia: a qualitative study. Global public health. 2020 Feb 1;15(2):185-99.

• Hailemariam M, Ghebrehiwet S, Baul T, Restivo JL, Shibre T, Henderson DC, Girma E, Fekadu A, Teferra S, Hanlon C, Johnson JE, Borba CPC. “He can send her to her parents”: The interaction between marriageability, gender and serious mental illness in rural Ethiopia. BMC psychiatry. 2019 Dec;19(1):1-0.