Early Screening For Depression Research Articles

Depression recognition using voice-based pre-training model

The early screening of depression is highly beneficial for patients to obtain better diagnosis and treatment. While the effectiveness of utilizing voice data for depression detection has been demonstrated, the issue of insufficient dataset size remains unresolved. Therefore, we propose an artificial intelligence method to effectively identify depression. The wav2vec 2.0 voice-based pre-training model was used as a feature extractor to automatically extract high-quality voice features from raw audio. Additionally, a small fine-tuning network was used as a classification model to output depression classification results. Subsequently, the proposed model was fine-tuned on the DAIC-WOZ dataset and achieved excellent classification results. Notably, the model demonstrated outstanding performance in binary classification, attaining an accuracy of 0.9649 and an RMSE of 0.1875 on the test set. Similarly, impressive results were obtained in multi-classification, with an accuracy of 0.9481 and an RMSE of 0.3810. The wav2vec 2.0 model was first used for depression recognition and showed strong generalization ability. The method is simple, practical, and applicable, which can assist doctors in the early screening of depression.

Taste dysfunction as a predictor of depression in schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between taste dysfunction and depression among patients with schizophrenia, to achieve early detection of depression in clinical practice. Following PRISMA guidance, a comprehensive literature search was conducted globally, covering papers published from 1961 to June 2023. A total of 17 manuscripts were selected through meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis after examining available materials from seven databases to determine the correlation between depression and taste dysfunction. The comparison of the 17 selected manuscripts revealed that individuals with gustatory dysfunction may be more likely to experience depressive symptoms (SMD, 0.51, 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.93, p = 0.02). Depression is associated with taste dysfunction in certain aspects, as indicated by the pleasantness ratings of sucrose solutions (SMD, -0.53, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.11 to 0.05, p = 0.08), gustatory identification ability (SMD, 0.96, 95% CI, 0.03 to 1.89, p = 0.04), and the perception threshold of sweet taste (MD, 0.80, 95% CI, 0.79 to 0.81, p < 0.00001). Due to variations in the methods, designs, and selection criteria employed in the included studies, it is necessary to establish a feasible framework. Future research using detailed and targeted approaches can provide clearer and more unified conclusions on the relationship between taste dysfunction and depression. Moreover, further high-quality research is needed to obtain clearer conclusions and explore the potential of taste dysfunction as an effective tool for early screening of depression. This review has been registered in the PROSPERO on April 2022 with the identifier CRD42023400172.

Prevalence and predictors of depression and anxiety in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundChronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a persistent inflammation of the sinuses. As a result of long-term discomfort, patients may experience symptoms of common mental disorders such as anxiety and depression. This...

A multi-state analysis of disease trajectories and mental health transitions in patients with type 2 diabetes: A population-based retrospective cohort study utilizing health administrative data

AimsTo investigate the risk of major depression and dementia in patients with type 2 diabetes, including dementia resulting from depression, and their impact on diabetes-related complications and mortality. MethodsWe conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study including 11,441 incident cases of diabetes in 2015–2017, with follow-up until 2022. A multi-state survival analysis was performed on a seven-state model with 15 transitions to capture disease progression and onset of mental disorders. ResultsEight-year probabilities of depression, dementia, diabetes-related complications, and death were 9.7% (95% CI 8.7–10.7), 0.9% (95% CI 0.5–1.3), 10.4% (95% CI 9.5–11.4), and 14.8% (95% CI 13.9–15.7), respectively. Depression increased the risk of dementia up to 3.7% (95% CI 2.0–5.4), and up to 10.3% (95% CI 0.3–20.4) if coupled with diabetes complications. Eight-year mortality was 37.5% (95% CI 33.1–42.0) after depression, 74.1% (95% CI 63.7–84.5) after depression plus complications, 76.4% (95% CI 68.8–83.9) after dementia, and 98.6% (95% CI 96.1–100.0) after dementia plus complications. ConclusionsThe interconnections observed across depression, dementia, complications, and mortality underscore the necessity for comprehensive and integrated approaches in managing diabetes. Early screening for depression, followed by timely and targeted interventions, may mitigate the risk of dementia and improve diabetes prognosis.

Prevalence, predictors, and patient-reported outcomes of long COVID in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients from the city of São Paulo, Brazil.

Robust data comparing long COVID in hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients in middle-income countries are limited. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in Brazil, including hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients. Long COVID was diagnosed at 90-day follow-up using WHO criteria. Demographic and clinical information, including the depression screening scale (PHQ-2) at day 30, was compared between the groups. If the PHQ-2 score is 3 or greater, major depressive disorder is likely. Logistic regression analysis identified predictors and protective factors for long COVID. A total of 291 hospitalized and 1,118 non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were included. The prevalence of long COVID was 47.1% and 49.5%, respectively. Multivariable logistic regression showed female sex (odds ratio [OR] = 4.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.51-8.37), hypertension (OR = 2.90, 95% CI 1.52-5.69), PHQ-2 > 3 (OR = 6.50, 95% CI 1.68-33.4) and corticosteroid use during hospital stay (OR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.20-5.04) as predictors of long COVID in hospitalized patients, while female sex (OR = 2.52, 95% CI 1.95-3.27) and PHQ-2 > 3 (OR = 3.88, 95% CI 2.52-6.16) were predictors in non-hospitalized patients. Long COVID was prevalent in both groups. Positive depression screening at day 30 post-infection can predict long COVID. Early screening of depression helps health staff to identify patients at a higher risk of long COVID, allowing an early diagnosis of the condition.

Reciprocal effect between non-suicidal self-injury and depressive symptoms in adolescence.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a common psychological and behavioral problem among adolescents. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on people's mental health. To date, few studies have documented the temporal changes in adolescents' psychological status during the pandemic, as well as the impact of large-scale public health intervention strategies. This study contributes to the existing evidence on the subject. Participants were 6,023 adolescents aged 10 years and older, with data from two waves of longitudinal surveys, including data for a 7-month interval before and during the pandemic. A cross-lagged model was used to test the bidirectional relationship between NSSI and depressive symptoms in adolescents; logistic regression analysis was used to explore the predictors of NSSI implementation in adolescents with depressive symptoms. In this study, 32.69% participants reported depressive symptoms at baseline and 34.27% at follow-up; 44.34% participants with depressive symptoms reported NSSI at baseline and 53.44% at follow-up. The duration of the online class, depressed affect, and somatic and related activity were the risk factors for NSSI; sleep duration and positive mood were the protective factors. The lag effect of depression symptoms on NSSI is significant, and so is NSSI on depressive symptoms. During the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents' mental health has worsened, resulting in an increase in the prevalence of NSSI among those with depressive symptoms compared to pre-pandemic levels. Early screening for depression is crucial in preventing or decreasing NSSI in adolescents.

THE EFFECT OF FINANCIAL STRAIN AND LANGUAGE OF INTERVIEW ON DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN MEXICAN AMERICAN OLDER ADULTS

Abstract We used data from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly to examine the relationship of financial strain and interview language to high depressive symptoms among Mexican Americans aged ≥75 years without history of depressive symptoms at baseline over a 12-year period (2004/05-2016; N=1157). Participants scored &amp;lt; 16 in the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale at baseline. Measures included age, marital status, years of formal education, body mass index, social isolation, church attendance, self-reported medical conditions, cognitive and physical function, pain, falls, disability, and hand grip strength. We used a generalized estimating equation model to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of depressive symptoms as a function of financial strain and interview language over time, adjusting for all covariates. We found that participants experiencing financial strain and interviewed in Spanish had greater odds of experiencing high depressive symptoms (OR=2.48, 95% Cl=1.37-4.48) compared to those who were not experiencing financial strain and selected be interviewed in English. No significant association with depressive symptoms was found in participants with financial strain and interviewed in English or those without financial strain and interviewed in Spanish. In conclusion, Mexican American older adults were at a high risk for high depressive symptoms over time if they were experiencing financial strain and preferred be interviewed in Spanish. Early screening for depression may prevent or delay depressive symptoms for individuals in this population at high risk for depression.

Sources of Perceived Social Support and Associated Factors for Depression amongst Malay Primary School Adolescents in Kelantan, Malaysia

INTRODUCTION: Adolescent depression is a substantial health concern nowadays, and perceived social support determines the outcome. Lack of research on depression amongst Malaysian younger group of adolescents, puts them at risk of being under diagnosed and under treated. Furthermore, the function of various social supports for depression in early adolescents is less explored. The primary objective of this study was to determine the level of support for adolescent depression from five different sources: i) parents, ii) teachers, iii) close friends, iv) classmates, and v) others in school. The secondary objective is to study the prevalence of depression amongst primary school adolescents and establish their association and the other factors that influence depression. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving 576 adolescents between the ages of 10-11 year olds were conducted from August 2020 till September 2020 using the Malay Children Depression Inventory (M-CDI) and Malay Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (M-CASSS). RESULTS: The respondents reported that teachers were the most supportive. Approximately 131 (22.7%) of them had depressive symptoms. Only parental support significantly reduced their risk of developing depression. Having a single parent household, being bullied, emotional abuse, and performing poorly in school increased the likelihood of developing depression. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study, demonstrated the necessity for early depression screening amongst primary school adolescents and the need for stakeholders to continue supporting parents in their efforts to deal with adolescent concerns.

Feasibility Study Through Financial Perspective Towards Mental Health-Based Business: Case Study of Ashwa

During the pandemic Covid-19 outbreak, mental health conditions have gotten worse, and it is even worse for adolescents (Hill et al., 2021). One of the biggest causes of mental health issues is depression. Ashwa, a mental health care provider, is here to solve this problem by providing early screening for depression and tele-counseling with expert psychologists. McConnell (2022) found that the majority of start-ups failed, which aligns with Ashwa’s exposure to high risk as an early-stage start-up. Previous studies said that cash flow plays a big role in start-up failure which leads to business unsustainability. The feasibility study can help to determine what is the best strategy for further business development. Taking Ashwa as a case study, this research analyzes the internal and external conditions of the company's financial feasibility. Therefore, the five years financial projections show that the Payback Period, Net Present Value (NPV), and Internal Rate of Return (IRR) criteria are acceptable. This project is then considered as financially feasible and the implementation plan is provided at the end of this paper.

Depression and its associated factors among patients with diabetes: A cross-sectional survey at Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Depression is one of the mental illnesses that cause disability worldwide, and is a significant contributor to the global burden of diseases. Although depression is reported among patients with diabetes in high-income countries, it remains undetected or undiagnosed in low and middle-income countries. This article describes the prevalence of depression and its associated factors among patients with diabetes in Zanzibar, United Republic of Tanzania. A cross-sectional study design was conducted at Mnazi Mmoja Referral Hospital (MMRH). A simple random sampling method was used to select the potential participants. Depressive symptoms were assessed using Patient Health Questionnaire-9(PHQ-9). Data were coded and analyzed using SPSS 23.0. A Chi-square test was performed to obtain the association between depression and socio-demographic, medical and psychological factors. A P-value of <0.05 with a 95% confidence interval was used to determine the significant associations between the variables. Also, multiple logistic regression was performed with the factors with P-value <0.2 to ascertain the confounding factors. A total of 267 patients with diabetes responded to the questionnaire of which 142 (53.2%) were males. The mean age of participants was 50 years and a standard deviation of ±14. The overall prevalence of depression in this study was 73%. The specific type of depression among diabetic patients varied from severe (8%) to mild depression (30%). Respondents who had difficulties in adhering to the treatment regimen (AOR = 5.7: 95% CI, 2.11-15.18, p = 0.001), feeling angry or stressed (AOR = 4.4: 95% CI, 2.44-8.10, p<0.001), and had diabetic retinopathy (AOR = 2.8: 95% CI, 1.45-5.28, p = 0.002) had symptoms of depression. Furthermore, respondents who had diabetic foot ulcers (AOR = 0.1: 95% CI, 0.04-0.49, p = 0.003) and impotence for male patients (AOR = 0.4: 95% CI, 0.20-0.68, p = 0.002) were 0.1 and 0.4 times less likely to have depression respectively. The majority of patients with diabetes have symptoms of depression. Adherence to the treatment regimen, diabetic retinopathy, feeling angry or stressed, impotence and diabetic foot ulcer were associated with depression. Thus, early screening of depression among patients with diabetes is crucial to enhance self-management and good health outcomes.

Prevalence of depression and its association with health-related quality of life in people with heart failure in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Heart failure is a growing public health concern around the world. People with heart failure have a high symptom burden, such as depression, which affects health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to estimate the pooled prevalence of depression and evaluate its association with HRQoL among people with heart failure in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the JBI methodology. Electronic databases such as MEDLINE, PsycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus and JBI EBP were searched to identify relevant studies published from January 2012 to August 2022. The methodological quality of each article was assessed using relevant JBI critical appraisal instruments. A random-effects model was employed to estimate the pooled prevalence of depression. Heterogeneity across the studies was investigated using Cochrane's Q test and I2 statistic. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines 2020 were followed for reporting the results. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA version 17 software. After screening, a total of 21 eligible articles with 5074 participants with heart failure were included in this review. The pooled prevalence of depression among people with heart failure in LMICs was 51.5% (95% CI = 39.7, 63.3%, I2 = 99.00%). Subgroup analysis revealed, the highest prevalence in studies whose participants were in-patients, and from the Middle East and North Africa, and studies utilizing Becks Depression Inventory (BDI). Depression was positively associated with HRQoL. This review revealed that almost half of all people with heart failure in low- and middle-income countries have comorbid depression. People with heart failure and depressive symptoms had poor HRQoL. Therefore, early screening of depression is critical for improving HRQoL in this population. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42022361759.

Cloud-Edge Collaborative Depression Detection Using Negative Emotion Recognition and Cross-Scale Facial Feature Analysis

Depression is a mental disorder that causes pain to people and society and is also the largest cause of disability in the world. Intelligent early screening of depression is of great benefit for patients to obtain better diagnoses and treatment. However, previous low-precision detection methods based on facial vision heavily rely on computing resources, which hinders the wide application of automatic depression diagnoses. Therefore, this article proposes an intelligent method for multiscene automatic depression symptom detection, which uses an efficient and convenient cloud-edge collaboration framework combined with negative emotion monitoring and cross-scale facial feature analysis. We deploy a shallow model (EdgeER) on the edge server and a deep model (C-DepressNet) on the cloud server. EdgeER is used to quickly detect negative user emotions and screen user data. C-DepressNet is used to analyze degrees of depression with high precision. The experimental results show that our cloud-edge collaboration framework has superior performance in depression detection accuracy and service response times.

Depression in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with an increased risk of complications and mortality.

Background and aimsThe global prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is expected to rise continuously. Furthermore, emerging evidence has also shown the potential for concomitant depression in NAFLD. This study aims to examine the prevalence, risk factors, and adverse events of depression in NAFLD and evaluate whether treated depression can reverse the increased risks of adverse outcomes.Materials and methodsThis study analyses the 2000–2018 cycles of NHANES that examined liver steatosis with fatty liver index (FLI). The relationship between NAFLD and depression was assessed with a generalized linear mix model and a sensitivity analysis was conducted in the no depression, treated depression, and untreated depression groups. Survival analysis was conducted with cox regression and fine gray sub-distribution model.ResultsA total of 21,414 patients were included and 6,726 were diagnosed with NAFLD. The risk of depression in NAFLD was 12% higher compared to non-NAFLD individuals (RR: 1.12, CI: 1.00–1.26, p = 0.04). NAFLD individuals with depression were more likely to be older, females, Hispanics or Caucasians, diabetic, and have higher BMI. Individuals with depression have high risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) (RR: 1.40, CI: 1.25–1.58, p < 0.01), stroke (RR: 1.71, CI: 1.27–2.23, p < 0.01), all-cause mortality (HR: 1.50, CI: 1.25–1.81, p < 0.01), and cancer-related mortality (SHR: 1.43, CI: 1.14–1.80, p = 0.002) compared to NAFLD individuals without depression. The risk of CVD, stroke, all-cause mortality, and cancer-related mortality in NAFLD individuals with treated depression and depression with untreated treatment was higher compared to individuals without depression.ConclusionThis study shows that concomitant depression in NAFLD patients can increase the risk of adverse outcomes. Early screening of depression in high-risk individuals should be encouraged to improve the wellbeing of NAFLD patients.

Early depression screening and short-term functional outcome in hospitalized patients for acute ischemic stroke.

BackgroundPatients with ischemic stroke are at high risk for post-stroke depression (PSD). There are limited data regarding the clinical impact of early PSD, assessed in hospitalized patients with acute ischemic stroke.MethodsThis hospital-based observational cohort study included consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack between July 2019 and June 2021. In the study hospital, all admitted patients were systematically screened for depression. The depression was screened using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and PHQ-9 positivity indicated early PSD, which was defined as a score of >4. Logistic regression analyses were used to compare the rates of poor functional outcomes at 3 months in patients with and without PHQ-9 positivity.ResultsAmong 1339 patients admitted during the study period, 775 were included, with a median age of 68.0 years, and 316 (40.8%) were women. A total of 111 (14.3%) patients were PHQ-9 positive. History of cancer and early neurological deterioration were independently associated with PHQ-9 positivity. Poor functional outcomes at 3 months were observed in 147 patients (18.8%). PHQ-9 positivity independently showed a 2.2-fold increased risk of poor functional outcome at 3 months (Odds ratio 2.23; 95% confidence interval 1.05–4.73, P = 0.037).ConclusionsPatients with history of cancer and early neurological deterioration were at risk for early PSD. Early PSD was independently associated with poor functional outcomes at 3 months. The identification of early depression could offer opportunities for further questioning and exploration of symptoms, as well as interventions.

Data augmentation for depression detection using skeleton-based gait information.

In recent years, the incidence of depression is rising rapidly worldwide, but large-scale depression screening is still challenging. Gait analysis provides a non-contact, low-cost, and efficient early screening method for depression. However, the early screening of depression based on gait analysis lacks sufficient effective sample data. In this paper, we propose a skeleton data augmentation method for assessing the risk of depression. First, we propose five techniques to augment skeleton data and apply them to depression and emotion datasets. Then, we divide augmentation methods into two types (non-noise augmentation and noise augmentation) based on the mutual information and the classification accuracy. Finally, we explore which augmentation strategies can capture the characteristics of human skeleton data more effectively. Experimental results show that the augmented training dataset that retains more of the raw skeleton data properties determines the performance of the detection model. Specifically, rotation augmentation and channel mask augmentation make the depression detection accuracy reach 92.15% and 91.34%, respectively.

Depression among Endometrial Cancer hospitalizations - Preliminary results of a nationwide retrospective study

IntroductionUterine cancer is the most common gynecologic malignant neoplasm in developed countries. While depression is up to 3-5 times more common in patients with cancer than in the general population, literature is still limited regarding the relation between Endometrial Cancer and depression.ObjectivesTo analyze Depression among Endometrial Cancer hospitalizations in mainland Portuguese public hospitals (2008-2015).MethodsA retrospective observational study was conducted using administrative data from all hospitalizations in Portuguese mainland public hospitals between 2008-2015. All women’s hospitalizations(≥18 years) with a primary diagnosis of Endometrial Cancer (ICD-9-CM 182.x) were selected. Secondary diagnosis of depression was identified with ICD-9-CM 296.2x, 296.3x and 311x codes. Surgical procedures codes 68.4x, 65.6x, 40.3x, 40.5x, 68.6x, 68.9x and 68.8x were used to divide the hospitalizations into surgical vs non-surgical. Groups were compared with Pearson Chi-square test and crude odds ratio(OR) was used to estimate the association between surgery and depression.ResultsFrom 10227 hospitalizations with a primary diagnosis of Endometrial Cancer, 533 had a registry of depression(5.2%). Annual depression frequency rose from 2.0% (2008) to 8.3% (2015). Among patients with a record of depression, 73.2% had surgery. Women who had surgery were significantly more likely to have registered depression (p&lt;0.001). The OR for depression in surgical vs non-surgical patients was 1.73 (95%IC:1.42-2.10).ConclusionsPatients hospitalized due to Endometrial Cancer and submitted to surgery had almost two-fold more risk of having a registry of depression. This trend reinforces the importance of early depression screening of these patients, enabling the implementation of timely therapeutic strategies before and after surgery.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Evaluation of the Psychometric Properties of the Persian Version of Children's Depression Inventory in Iranian Adolescents.

Objectives: Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) is a self-report tool for measuring depression in children and adolescents. In this study, the psychometric properties of the Persian version of CDI were investigated in an Iranian adolescent population. Methods: This study was conducted on a sample of 480 adolescent boys and girls in the age range of 12-18 years. The results showed that 23.6% of the study population were 11-13 years old, 62.1% were 14-16 years old, and 14.3% were 17-18 years old. Also, 48.5% of the sample were girls, and 51.5% were boys. To investigate the convergent and divergent validity, Beck's Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II) and Teenage Inventory of Social Skills were used, respectively. Results: The reliability coefficient of CDI, based on Cronbach's alpha, indicated the relatively high internal consistency of the items (0.907). The results of the exploratory factor analysis showed that CDI has a saturated factor, explaining 50.11% of the variance in the data. Also, goodness-of-fit indices of confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model is well suited for explaining depression. The present results also showed a negative correlation between children's depression and the social skills subscale and a positive correlation between children's depression and BDI-II score. Conclusions: The construct validity of the questionnaire was confirmed. It can be concluded that the Persian version of CDI has adequate reliability and validity. Therefore, it can be used as a useful tool for early screening of depression in adolescents due to its easy use and specific design for children and adolescents.

IsiXhosa Translation of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9): A Pilot Study of Psychometric Properties [Stage 1

Depression is a debilitating illness, and stigma associated with it often prevents people from seeking support. Easy-to-administer and culturally-specific diagnostic tools can allow for early screening for depression in primary care clinics, especially in resource-limited settings. In this pilot study, we will produce the first open-access isiXhosa-language version of the nine-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), a well-validated measure of depression incidence and severity, using a transcultural translation framework. We will validate this isiXhosa PHQ-9 in a small sample of adolescents living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa who speak isiXhosa at home. Participants have previously completed the ASEBA Youth Self Report (YSR) form, and responses from the YSR will be used as a gold standard to validate the isiXhosa PHQ-9. If validated through this Registered Report, this isiXhosa PHQ-9 may be an invaluable culturally-specific tool for clinicians serving Xhosa people in identifying clinical or sub-clinical depression.

Prevalence of unrecognized depression and associated factors among medical outpatient department attendees; a cross sectional study.

To determine the prevalence and associated factors of unrecognized depression among patients who visit non-psychiatric outpatient departments in the University of Gondar specialized teaching hospital. North West Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted among Medical outpatient departments in the University of Gondar specialized referral hospital from March to April 2019. We collected data through face-to-face interviews. We recruited 314 participants for face-to-face interviews using the systematic random sampling technique. The patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) was used to measure depression. Coded variables were entered into Epi Info version 7 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Descriptive statistics and multivariable logistic regression analysis were used. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) with a 95% confidence interval were used to calculate significance. A total of 314 participants were interviewed with a response rate of 100%. The prevalence of depression was 15.9% with (95% CI (12.1-20.1)). In the multivariate logistic regression revealed that, able to read and write (AOR = 0.24, 95% CI (0.67-0.84)), secondary education (AOR = 0.34, 95% CI (0.12-0.91)), education in college and university level (AOR = 0.32, 95% CI (0.13-0.78)), poor social support (AOR = 7.78, 95% CI (2.74-22.09)), current cigarette smokers(AOR = 12.65, 95% CI (1.79-89.14)) were associated with depression. The prevalence of depression among outpatient attendees was high. We recommend an early depression screening be carried out by health professionals.

Lessons Learned about the Need for Early Screening for Depression during the First Months of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States

A nationwide survey assessed the prevalence and pandemic-related risk factors of major depressive disorder (MDD) at the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings showed a significant increase in the prevalence of MDD (22.7%) compared to the pre-pandemic 12-month estimate (10.4%). Specific pandemic-related concerns, along with significant increases in stress, loneliness, fatigue, and substance use behaviors are noted for those with the provisional diagnosis of MDD. Early screening and detection for potential MDD cases can reduce the severity and duration of maladaptive symptoms, decreasing the risk for future depression episodes and the potential loss of quality of life and productivity.