A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
A comparative study on the intensity of loneliness among Kenyan youth in school and home environments
Authors: Mutiso, Victoria; Ndetei, David; Musyimi, Christine; Nyamai, Pascalyne; Kioko, Denis; Thakya, Diana; Onuonga, Kevin; Malinda, Susan; Kiogora, Yvonne; Achola, Diana; Walusaka, Samuel; Onyango, Veronica; Jeremiah, Eric; Sourander, Andre; Mamah, Daniel
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Publication year: 2026
Journal: Cambridge Prisms: Global Mental Health
Article number: e66
Volume: 13
eISSN: 2054-4251
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2026.10172
Publication's open availability at the time of reporting: Open Access
Publication channel's open availability : Open Access publication channel
Web address : https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2026.10172
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/523241331
Self-archived copy's licence: CC BY
Self-archived copy's version: Publisher`s PDF
Loneliness is a public health concern influenced by environmental contexts. Among youth, it manifests differently at school and home, yet research in low-resource settings is limited. This study examined patterns of loneliness and how economic and sociodemographic factors correlate with it in school and home environments among Kenyan youths in the Nairobi Metropolitan Area. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,972 youths aged 14–25 years using a self-administered questionnaires. Analyses included paired t-tests, ANOVA and generalized estimating equations (GEEs). Among participants with complete paired data (n = 1,166), loneliness was significantly higher at school (M =23.15) than at home (M = 21.53). Females reported higher loneliness than males (school: p=.011; home: p<.001). Education level and marital status were significantly related to loneliness at home (p<.001 and p=.022) but not at school. Loneliness at home was higher among the poorest households compared to middle-class households (mean difference =2.556, p=.048). GEE models confirmed these patterns and indicated that employment status influenced differences in loneliness between home and school settings. School settings were linked with higher loneliness, while home loneliness varied by socioeconomic and demographic factors, underscoring the need for targeted interventions addressing environmental and social determinants of youth loneliness.
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Funding information in the publication:
This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Grant/Award number: 5R01MH127571-02.