ASSESSMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC WELLBEING OF PEOPLE LIVING IN BLACKFLY AND OTHER VECTOR INFESTED AREAS OF CAMEROON

Abstract

This study on the assessment of psychological and socioeconomic wellbeing of inhabitants of
vector infested areas of Cameroon was informed by observed adverse conditions: significantly
increased economic, health, and social down turns, as well as to establish base line data for
environmental impact assessment. A total number of 400 persons from the infested areas
(Ndonakem 100, Bafia 145, Massock 55, and Edea 100), comprising 271 males (68%), and 129
females (32%), aged between 15 and 60 (mean 36.47) participated in the study. Two
Instruments used in this study were the Ryff’s Psychological Wellbeing Scale (PWB), and the
Interviewer Rated Multivariate Socioeconomic Wellbeing Assessment Scale (IRMSEWAS).
Potgieter (2004), reported alpha-coefficient of 0.9 in a study with South African adults for PWB,
and for this study, a full scale Cronbach alpha of 0.67 was obtained in a pilot test with adult
Cameroonians in Younde. The reliability coefficient for the IRMSEWAS) was 0.68. Descriptive
statistics were used to analyse the cross sectional data to answer the questions: 1.What is the
psychological well-being profile of Cameroonians living in the Vector Infested Areas? 2. What is
the socioeconomic well-being profile of Cameroonians living in the Vector Infested Areas? 3.
What kind of relationship exists between psychological well-being, and socioeconomic wellbeing
among residents in the infested areas? Data analyses indicate that in practical terms none
of the respondents was enjoying psychological wellbeing. Also, none of the respondents met the
criteria for high socioeconomic wellbeing. 3.75% were in the medium/middle socioeconomic
wellbeing rating, while 96.25% rated low in socioeconomic wellbeing. People living in the
studied areas were practically socioeconomically disadvantaged, and distressed. There is urgent
need to improve on the psychological and socioeconomic wellbeing of inhabitants of these areas
of Cameroon to forestall possible security challenges to the Country, as well as deepening
poverty and its associated health and social pathological concomitants.