PTSD in Young Banso Widows in Cameroon

There are an estimated 250 million widows across the globe, and more than 500,000 of these individuals are projected to reside in Cameroon. Despite these statistics, to date relatively little research about widows in Cameroon has been accomplished. As such, little information is available as to the mental health status of Cameroonian widows. The purpose of the current study was to examine and document post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) levels among young Banso widows in Cameroon. Findings indicated that 86% of the target population possessed PTSD symptoms in moderate to severe range. This level far exceeded a general community sample of Africa women. Select social justice and human rights implications were discussed.