Mental health among adolescents exposed to social inequality in Latin America and the Caribbean: a scoping review

Adolescents from Latin America and the Caribbean grow up in a context of social inequality, which diminishes their well-being and leads to impaired emotional-cognitive development. To understand the problem, it is important to synthesize the available research about it. This study aims to explore th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in public health 2024-04, Vol.12, p.1342361-1342361
Main Authors: Sánchez-Castro, Johanna Carolina, Pilz González, Laura, Arias-Murcia, Saidy Eliana, Mahecha-Bermeo, Viviana Andrea, Stock, Christiane, Heinrichs, Katherina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
adolescents
Caribbean Region
Female
Humans
Latin America
Male
Mental Disorders - epidemiology
Mental Disorders - psychology
mental health
Mental Health - statistics & numerical data
psychological phenomena
Public Health
social discrimination
social inequality
social sciences
Socioeconomic Factors
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Summary:Adolescents from Latin America and the Caribbean grow up in a context of social inequality, which diminishes their well-being and leads to impaired emotional-cognitive development. To understand the problem, it is important to synthesize the available research about it. This study aims to explore the knowledge about adolescents' mental health in Latin America and the Caribbean exposed to social inequality. A systematic scoping review was conducted encompassing a search in five databases (Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, and LILACS) in June 2022. Articles of various typologies were included without time limit. After two rounds of screening, relevant data were manually extracted and synthesized into self-constructed themes using thematic analysis. Out of 8,825 retrieved records, 42 papers were included in the final review, with a predominance of quantitative approaches. The synthesis revealed two main analytical themes: (a) defining social inequality, wherein intersecting inequalities produce discrimination and determine conditions for social vulnerability; (b) social inequality and mental health, which highlights the association between socio-structural difficulties and emotional problems, amplifying vulnerability to mental ill health and poor mental health care. The scientific evidence reveals that social inequality is related to impaired well-being and mental ill health on the one hand and a lack of access to mental health care on the other hand.
ISSN:2296-2565
2296-2565
DOI:10.3389/fpubh.2024.1342361