Publication: Mental Health and Socio-Economic Outcomes in Burundi
Date
2004-11
ISSN
Published
2004-11
Author(s)
Abstract
This paper presents analysis of data
from a survey of 5,599 respondents aged 10 years and older
conducted country-wide in Burundi in 1998-99. The paper
estimates statistically significant relationships between
indicators of poor mental health and several social and
economic outcomes. Most importantly, a worsening of mental
health is associated with a decline in employment and with a
decline in school enrollment of the subject's children.
No relationship is found between mental health and poverty,
once adjustments are made for demographic and regional
influences. It argues that poor mental health diminishes
people's participation in work and investment in their
children's education through dysfunction resulting from
psychiatric trauma and depression. Economic theory holds
that investment in human capital, such as in education, will
depend in part on expectations about the return on the investment.
Citation
“Baingana, Florence; Dabalen, Andrew; Menye, Essimi; Prywes, Menahem; Rosholm, Michael. 2004. Mental Health and Socio-Economic Outcomes in Burundi. Health, Nutrition and Population (HNP)
discussion paper;. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/98f95b3d-b707-5202-9be0-c1dba119ba07 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”