Using Mathematical Modeling to Tackle Depression in Young Women in Sub-Saharan Africa

Olayinka Omigbodun of the University of Ibadan in Nigeria will build a critical mass of female researchers and policymakers to adapt and apply diverse mathematical models to better understand the epidemiology of depression in young women in sub-Saharan Africa and identify more effective preventative measures and treatments. Adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa are three times more likely than their male counterparts to have a depressive disorder. Mathematical modeling provides a powerful means of predicting the dynamics of depression. However, there is a paucity of models that inform mental health strategies in this region. They will leverage existing research networks across the region to train new female modelers and, together with them, critique existing mathematical models of mental health and depression. This will enable the development of more suitable models, populated with local data, to identify predictors of depression in this group.