Non-communicable disease comorbidities (NCDCs) among youth in South Africa: the causal contribution of not being in scho
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Non-communicable disease comorbidities (NCDCs) among youth in South Africa: the causal contribution of not being in school or work and other socioeconomic characteristics Nicole De Wet-Billings 1
&
Sasha Frade 1
Received: 17 April 2020 / Accepted: 7 October 2020 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Aim The purpose of this study is to examine the causal factors associated with non-communicable disease comorbidity (NCDC) development among youth in South Africa. Subject and methods Data are from the South African National Income Dynamics Survey (NIDS) in 2007 and 2017. In 2007, 1103 youths had one NCD and 297 had developed NCDC by 2017. Demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of youth are controlled for, and frequency distributions are used to show the profile of youth with NCDCs. A logistic regression model showing odds ratios (OR) is fit to determine the causal factors. Results More females (55.06%) than males (41.07%) develop NCDC. Further, in 2017, 91.25% of youth who were not in school and not employed had NCDC. The likelihood of NCDC progression is higher for those not in education and not employed (OR: 1.455, CI: 1.256079–1.692377), females (OR: 1.343; CI: 0.843291–1.503960), and youth with no medical aid or insurance (OR: 1.245, CI: 1.013948–1.502166). Conclusion The results of this study highlight social inequalities that need to be addressed in order for youth who are already diagnosed with one NCD to prevent further disease development. Policies and programmes engaged in the National Health Insurance debate should be aware that through non-medical responses, the potential strain of NCDCs on the system could be prevented. Keywords Non-communicable diseases . Comorbidity . Youth . Socioeconomic status . Longitudinal . Regression
Introduction In addition to infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among youth are high in South Africa (Juma et al. 2018; Naicker et al. 2017; Spires et al. 2016). NCDs such as obesity, hypertension, and depression have prevalence rates of 22.9%, 13.7%, and 49.5% respectively (Bhimma et al. 2018; Gibbs et al. 2018; Negash et al. 2017). These rates also differ by sex, race, and socioeconomic status in the country. For example, obesity rates are higher among females (9.1%) than young males (4.5%) and by race, with 20.7% of white youth being overweight * Nicole De Wet-Billings [email protected] 1
Demography and Population Studies Department, Schools of Social Sciences and Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, 1 Jan Smuts Ave, Braamfontein, Johannesburg, Gauteng 2001, South Africa
and 7.5% of Coloured youth being obese (Negash et al. 2017). Similarly with hypertension, 52.5% of females and 38.3% of males reported having this condition (Bhimma et al. 2018). Finally a study among youth living in informal settlements found 49% of male participants and 57% of female respondents showed depressive symptoms (Gibbs et al. 2018). This is concerning because NCDs will account for five times as ma
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