Prevalence Of Depression In Women Research Articles

Association between pregnancy loss and depressive symptoms in women: a population-based study

BackgroundDepression is a common mental disorder with a much higher prevalence in women than in men. Although there has been a gradual increase in research on the association between reproductive health and depression, there is still some inconsistency in the evidence of the relationship between pregnancy loss and depression. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between pregnancy loss and depressive symptoms.MethodsWe analyzed data from the 2007–2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which included female participants aged 20 to 80 years. Pregnancy loss was determined based on participants’ self-reported number of pregnancies and pregnancy outcomes. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9, score ≥ 10). Multivariate logistic regression, smoothed curve fitting, and generalized additive modeling were used to examine the association between pregnancy loss and depression. We also performed sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses to verify the robustness and specificity of the findings.ResultsA total of 12,873 female participants were included in our study, of which 1,595 (12.39%) were categorized as depressed. Multivariate logistic regression results indicated that experiencing a pregnancy loss increased the risk of prevalence of depression in women (for 1 loss: OR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.15,1.50; for 2 or more losses: OR = 1.58, 95% CI 1.38, 1.81). When sensitivity analyses were performed, an association between pregnancy loss and depression was found in both multivariate linear regressions with PHQ-9 scores as a continuous variable and multivariate logistic regressions with a threshold of 5 PHQ-9 scores. The association between pregnancy loss and depression remained stable across subgroups.ConclusionPregnancy loss correlated with elevated PHQ-9 scores and a heightened risk of depression in adult women across the United States. Focusing on the incidence of adverse pregnancy events in the female population may help prevent or early recognize the onset of depression.

Noradrenergic Regulation of the Medial Prefrontal Cortex Mediates Stress Coping in Postpartum Female Mice.

The prevalence of depression in women increases during the postpartum period. We previously reported that subchronic exposure to social stress decreased passive coping in postpartum female mice. This study aimed to investigate whether noradrenaline regulation might regulate coping styles in mice. We first determined whether a different type of stress, subchronic physical stress, decreases passive coping in postpartum females. Postpartum female, virgin female, and male mice were exposed to subchronic restraint stress (restraint stress for 4h for 5 consecutive days). Subchronic restraint stress decreased passive coping in postpartum females but not in virgin females and males in the forced swim and tail suspension tests. We next examined the neuronal mechanism by which subchronic stress decreases passive coping in postpartum female mice. Neuronal activity and expression of noradrenergic receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. The mPFC was manipulated using chemogenetics, knockdown, or an α2A adrenergic receptor (AR) antagonist. Immunohistochemistry revealed that subchronic restraint stress increased glutamatergic neuron activation in the mPFC via forced swim stress and decreased α2A AR expression in postpartum females. Chemogenetic activation of glutamatergic neurons in the mPFC, knockdown of α2AAR in the mPFC, and the α2A AR receptor antagonist atipamezole treatment decreased passive coping in postpartum females. Subchronic restraint stress decreased passive coping in postpartum females by increasing glutamatergic neuron activity in the mPFC through α2A AR attenuation. The noradrenergic regulation of the mPFC may be a new target for treating postpartum depression.

Country Differences in the Effects of Individual Traits on Depression in Women in Europe

AbstractMental health and, in particular, depression are of great global concern today, especially in middle- and high-income countries. These health issues show an unequal gender prevalence as they are more common in women than in men. The aim of this work is to use micro-econometric models to analyze the prevalence of depression in women in 27 European countries, as well as to quantify the effects of certain individual characteristics on the probability of experiencing depression and the degree to which it occurs. In addition, measures are proposed to assess how each country differs from the total sample. The data used proceed from the European Health Interview Survey wave 2 (EHIS-2). The results show that higher educational levels and incomes are protective factors, while older age and being unemployed have a positive effect on the probability of having depression, particularly on the probability of severe depression. Furthermore, from the calculation of ratios, notable differences are detected in the effects of these characteristics in different countries. Although the direction of the effect of each characteristic is similar in all countries, the size of the effect in each country varies significantly from the sample average. The results highlight the importance of identifying which individual traits generate a higher propensity to experience depression in women. The proposed procedure leads to the conclusion that the detection of differences and similarities between countries could allow the extrapolation of successful practices in prevention and mental health care.

Global depression in breast cancer patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Breast cancer is known as one of the most common diseases among women, the psychological consequences of which are common in women and affect various aspects of their lives, so this study aims to investigate the prevalence of depression among women with breast cancer globally. The present meta-analysis was performed by searching for keywords related to breast cancer and depression in 4 main databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Sciences and Scopus in the period of January 2000 to November 2021 and the results of the study using R and CMA software were analyzed. A total of 71 studies were selected in English and the results of the analysis showed that the prevalence of depression in women with breast cancer is 30.2%, with Pakistan having the highest (83%) prevalence of depression and Taiwan having the lowest (8.3%). And in the WHO regions, EMRO region had the highest (49.7%) rate and SEARO region had the lowest (23%) prevalence of depression. Also, with increasing age, the prevalence of depression among women with breast cancer increases. Community and family support for women with breast cancer, holding psychology and psychotherapy courses, lifestyle modifications and training in this area can be effective in preventing the reduction of the prevalence of depression, and given the pivotal role of women in family affairs, this This can be in line with the work of health system policymakers.

Prevalence of depression in women diagnosed with breast cancer in Georgia

Abstract Background: Depression commonly occurs in patients with breast cancer (BC), significantly affecting their quality of life. We screened Georgian women diagnosed with BC for depressive symptoms to determine their prevalence and examine associations with various sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. This is the first study focusing on mental well-being in patients with cancer in Georgia. Methods: In a multicenter observational study, 177 women receiving BC treatment were examined at three tertiary oncology hospitals in Georgia. Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) was used for the identification of depressive symptoms. Patients were stratified using basic information on age, marital status, educational level, social and financial support, employment status, and clinical characteristics. Results: The average age was 52.9 years (34–77); 117 (66%) were married; 79 (45%) were working, but only 30 (17%) reported having adequate financial status; 128 (72%) had stage I-III disease; and 64 (36%) reported some degree of pain. Using pro-rated PHQ-9 scores, 46 patients (44%; 95% CI, 37–51) reported some level of depressive symptoms while 25 women (14%; 95% CI, 9–19) met the criteria for probable depressive disorder. A higher proportion of patients reporting pain also reported depressive symptoms (37/66, 56%) compared with those reporting no pain (41/111, 34%) (P = .013); women with stage IV disease were more likely to report depressive symptoms (26/44, 57%) compared with those with stages I-III (53/133, 40%) (P = .049); and single/previously married women (42/60, 70%) were more likely to report depressive symptoms than married women (51/117, 44%) (P = .001). Depressive symptom reporting did not differ by age or reported support. Conclusion: One in six of this sample of Georgian patients with BC had depressive symptom levels consistent with a depressive disorder. Depressive symptoms covaried by marital status, staging, and reported pain. These results can inform practitioner oncologists in Georgia of the needs for psychological support for patients with cancer and assist in building such support services.

Prevalence of depression and its correlation with anxiety, headache and sleep disorders among medical staff in the Hainan Province of China.

This cross-sectional survey aimed to investigate the prevalence of depression among medical staff and its risk factors as well as the association between depression, anxiety, headache, and sleep disorders. Stratified random cluster sampling was used to select medical staff from various departments of four hospitals in Sanya City. The Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were used to quantitatively assess depression, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Correlation and regression analyses were performed to determine factors affecting the depression occurrence and scores. Among 645 medical staff members, 548 (85%) responded. The 1-year prevalence of depression was 42.7% and the prevalence of depression combined with anxiety, headache, and sleep disorders was 23, 27, and 34.5%, respectively. The prevalence of depression in women, nurses, the unmarried or single group, and the rotating-shift population was significantly higher than that in men (48.3% vs. 27.1%, odds ratio OR = 2.512), doctors (55.2% vs. 26.7%, OR = 3.388), the married group (50.5% vs. 35.8%, OR = 1.900), and the day-shift population (35.2% vs. 7.5%, OR = 1.719). The occurrence of depression was correlated with anxiety, sleep disorders, headache, and migraines, with anxiety having the highest correlation (Spearman's Rho = 0.531). The SDS was significantly correlated with the SAS and PSQI (Spearman's Rho = 0.801, 0.503) and was also related to the presence of headache and migraine (Spearman Rho = 0.228, 0.159). Multiple logistic regression indicated that nurse occupation and anxiety were risk factors for depression, while grades of anxiety, sleep disorders and nurse occupation were risk factors for the degree of depression in multiple linear regression. The prevalence of depression among medical staff was higher than that in the general population, especially among women, nurses, unmarried people, and rotating-shift workers. Depression is associated with anxiety, sleep disorders, headache, and migraines. Anxiety and nursing occupation are risk factors for depression. This study provides a reference for the promotion of occupational health among medical professionals.

The Relationship Between Access to Abortion and Mental Health in Women of Childbearing Age: Analyses of Data From the Global Burden of Disease Studies.

Background It has often been suggested that restricting access to legal abortion could have a negative impact on the mental health of women seeking this procedure. The recent judgment of the United States Supreme Court in the Dobbs case has brought the question of the psychological impactof changes in abortion policy into focus. The results of studies on the link between induced abortion and mental health are contradictory, and interpreting the results of these studies is complex due to a multitude of potential confounding factors. However, there is little data on the relationship between the availability of legal abortion and its effects onthe mental health of women of childbearing age in the general population. Objective The objective of the current study was to examine cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between access to legal abortion and the prevalence of common mental disorders in women of childbearing age at a cross-national level while correcting for potential confounding factors. Methods The current study employs both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of nation-level data for 197 countries and regions. As data on global abortion policy were compiled in 2009 and 2017 by the Guttmacher Institute, data on access to legal abortion for these yearswere examined in relation to the prevalence of anxiety disorders and depression in women of childbearing age for each country, obtained from the Global Burden of Disease Studies for the most recent subsequent year (2010 and 2019). The relationship between changes in abortion policy and changes in the prevalence of these disorders in each country was examined for the aforementioned period. All analyses were adjusted for the potential confounding effects of gender development, gender inequality, and intimate partner violence. Cross-sectional associations were examined using Pearson's bivariate and partial correlations, while longitudinal associations were examined using a general linear model and analyses of covariance. Results At the cross-sectional level, broad legal access to abortion was associated with a lower prevalence of depression in women aged 25-49 years, however, this association was not significant after correcting for measures of gender development, gender inequality, and intimate partner violence. At the longitudinal level, a slight but significant decrease in the prevalence of anxiety disorders in women aged 25-49 years was observed in countries where access to legal abortion was broadened in the period 2009-2017. This association remained marginally significant after adjustment for the above confounders. Conclusions The current study suggests that there is a modest relationship between access to legal abortion and its effects on themental health of women aged 25-49 years. However, this relationship appears to be largely indirect in nature and influenced by factors, such as gender development, gender inequality, and intimate partner violence. These results may lead to further exploration of the links between reproductive rights and mental health of women in the general populationand drawattention to the influence of gender inequality and intimate partner violence on mental health of women of childbearing age.

A Narrative Review of the Association Between Depression and Heart Disease Among Women: Prevalence, Mechanisms of Action, and Treatment.

Sex and gender differences exist with regard to the association between depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD). This narrative review describes the prevalence, mechanisms of action, and management of depression and CVD among women, with a particular focus on coronary heart disease (CHD). Women versus men with incident and established CHD have a greater prevalence of depression. Comorbid depression and CHD in women may be associated with greater mortality, and treatment inertia. Proposed mechanisms unique to the association among women of depression and CHD include psychosocial, cardiometabolic, behavioral, inflammatory, hormonal, and autonomic factors. The literature supports a stronger association between CHD and the prevalence of depression in women compared to men. It remains unclear whether depression treatment influences cardiovascular outcomes, or if treatment effects differ by sex and/or gender. Further research is needed to establish underlying mechanisms as diagnostic and therapeutic targets.

Prevelence of depression in Iranian women with breast cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Depression is a debilitating disease that is highly prevalent among cancer patients. Various studies in Iran have reported different prevalence. This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the overall prevalence of depression in Iranian women with breast cancer. In this study, published articles in Persian and English were collected without time limit. Keyword searches for depression, depressive disorder, dysthymic disorder, major depressive disorder, breast cancer, breast neoplasm, and Iran and all of their potential combinations were performed in Scientific Information Database (SID), MagIran, PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science databases. The heterogeneity between studies was assessed using the Q-Cochrane test and, given the significant heterogeneity, a random-effects model was used to estimate the overall prevalence of depression. Data were analyzed using STATA version 11 software. The analysis of 22 selected articles with a total sample size of 3,082 showed that the overall prevalence of depression in women with breast cancer was 49.98% (95% confidence interval: 48.43-52.52). The prevalence of depression in Region 1 in the country was (28%; 95% confidence interval: 25.53-52.55) and in other regions, it was (63.79% with 95% confidence interval of 61.82-76.76). The highest and the lowest prevalence of depression were related to BDI (69.33%; 95% confidence interval: 67.19-71.48) and HADS (26.43%; 95% confidence interval: 23.14-29.72), respectively. Half of the Iranian women with breast cancer had depression. Given the overlap of physical symptoms of cancer with depression, identifying at-risk patients for controlling and providing therapeutic interventions seems necessary.

Comparison of Depression in Women with Primary and Secondary Infertility in Patients at OB/GYN OPD at Sharif Medical City, Lahore, Pakistan

Objective: To compare the prevalence of depression in women with primary and secondary infertility presenting at Gynecology Outpatient Department at Sharif Medical City, Lahore, Pakistan. Methodology: This is a questionnaire based cross sectional study with a sample size of 138 male and female patients. This study was conducted in (OB/GYN OPD) in a tertiary care setting of Sharif Medical City, Lahore. Duration of the study was 1 month i.e. July 2021. Results: 74% of the patients suffered from infertility due to primary causes, while 26% had secondary infertility. Female infertility accounted for about 93% of infertility cases seen at the clinic while male factor infertility was only 7%. Symptoms of depression were more likely to be seen in women with primary infertility than those with secondary infertility. Conclusions: Despite infertility affecting both men and women, infertility in men is more likely to be under reported. In our study, women with primary infertility often experienced signs and symptoms of depression as compared to women with secondary infertility. In general, infertile women are more likely to be target of abuse, societal pressures, and expectations. Having a good support system can help alleviate most of these symptoms. More research needs to be done to establish a causal relationship between infertility and depression.

Prevalence and clinical correlates for depression in women with urinary incontinence: a cross-sectional study.

The coexistence of urinary incontinence (UI) and depression has been intensively examined in women. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and some clinical correlates of depression in women with UI. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANE) 2005-2018 was used in this cross-sectional study, and a total of 7250 UI patients were included. Patientss were defined as having UI if they answered "yes" to the UI screening question. Depression symptoms were measured by Personal Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). The age-standardized prevalence of depression in women with UI was 13.7 (95% CI: 12.5-14.9). Multiple logistic regression showed that being younger (age <60 years), widowed, divorced or separated and having lower income, lower education level, more severe incontinence and mixed UI were associated with an increased likelihood of depression. This population-based study suggested that the prevalence of depression in women with UI was high. The main clinical correlates for depression were younger age (<60 years), lower education level, lower income, being widowed, divorced or separated, and having more severe incontinence and mixed UI.

Sex Differences in Depression-Like Behaviors in Adult Mice Depend on Endophenotype and Strain.

Depression affects women nearly twice as frequently as men. In contrast, rodent models of depression have shown inconsistent results regarding sex bias, often reporting more depression-like behaviors in males. This sex discrepancy in rodents modeling depression may rely on differences in the baseline activity of males and females in depression-related behavioral tests. We previously showed that the baseline despair and anhedonia behaviors, major endophenotypes of depression, are not sex biased in young adolescent wild-type mice of C57BL/6N, DBA/2, and FVB/N strains. Since the prevalence of depression in women peaks in their reproductive years, we here investigated sex differences of the baseline depression-like behaviors in adult mice using these three strains. Similar to the results in young mice, no difference was found between adult male and female mice in behavioral tests measuring despair in both tail suspension and forced swim tests, and anhedonia in the sucrose preference test. We then extended our study and tested apathy, another endophenotype of depression, using the splash test. Adult male and female mice showed significantly different results in the baseline apathy-like behaviors depending on the investigated strain. This study dissects the complex sex effects of different depression endophenotypes, stresses the importance of considering strain, and puts forward a hypothesis of the inconsistency of results between different laboratories investigating rodent models of depression.

Prevalence of depression in women with low income living in developed countries.

To conduct a systematic review of studies reporting prevalence rates of depression in women living in low-income circumstances in developed countries. The published and unpublished literature was searched for studies reporting prevalence of depression in women with low income in developed countries. Searches, data extraction, and methodological appraisal were conducted twice independently. To perform the analysis, the meta and metafor packages in R, a random effect model to account for both between and within studies' variances, and the restricted maximum likelihood method for estimation were used. One-hundred sixty-four studies, involving 218,035 participants, were located through the search process. The point prevalence of depression among women in low-income circumstances using self-report instruments in 134 studies was 37.4% (95% CI, 34.0%-40.7%). Additionally, the point prevalence according to depression diagnosis in 25 studies was 22.9% (95% CI, 17.8%-28.5%). The high rate of depression among women living in low-income circumstances is of serious public health concern. Women living in low-income circumstances should receive screening and referral/treatment in not only medical service settings, but also in social service settings serving women receiving welfare benefits.

Mental health and its associations with weight in women with gestational diabetes mellitus. A prospective clinical cohort study

ObjectiveDespite the prevalence of depression in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and the relationship between mental health (depression and well-being) and metabolic health, little is known about mental health or its metabolic impact in GDM pregnancy. This prospective clinical cohort study aimed to investigate associations between 1) well-being and depression, and 2) mental health and weight/weight gain in women with GDM. MethodsWe included 334 pregnant women with GDM treated at a Swiss University Hospital between January 2016 and December 2018. They completed two self-report questionnaires: The World Health Organization well-being index (WHO-5) at the first (29 weeks of gestation) and last (36 weeks of gestation) GDM visits during pregnancy and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) at the first GDM visit. A cut-off of ≥11 was selected for this questionnaire to indicate the presence of elevated depression scores. ResultsThere was an inverse association between the well-being and depression total scores at the first GDM visit during pregnancy (r = −0.55; p < 0.0001). Elevated depression scores at the first GDM visit were associated with subsequent weight gain in GDM pregnancy (β = 1.249; p = 0.019). ConclusionIn women with GDM, elevated depression scores during pregnancy are prospectively associated with weight gain. Depression symptoms should therefore be screened for and treated in women with GDM to reduce the risks associated with excessive weight gain during pregnancy.

Why are Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome at Increased Risk of Depression? Exploring the Etiological Maze.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex and common multisystemic disorder. Women with PCOS have up to eight times higher prevalence of depression than control groups. This paper aims to explore the underlying risk factors for developing depression in this high-risk group.Studies indicate an interplay of multiple mechanisms that place women with PCOS at an increased risk for depression. The pathophysiology thought to play a role includes disturbances in the endocrine axes and changes to the metabolic pathway. The risk of depression is independently linked to insulin resistance and obesity in this population. However, rates of depression were still higher than control groups when accounting for these variables, demonstrating that they are not the only mechanism causing depression. The clinical manifestations of hyperandrogenism and menstrual abnormalities may compound negative views and lower self-esteem and negatively impact mood. Many of these women also struggle with infertility, and due to the added external pressures like societal beliefs and culture, they may be further negatively impacted and worsen their depressive symptoms.The prevalence of depression in women with PCOS is high; thus, this paper highlights the essential understanding of the underlying mechanisms at play. This is to better aid in addressing the fundamental cause of depression in this high-risk group effectively.

Sex-specific association between infant caudate volumes and a polygenic risk score for major depressive disorder.

Polygenic risk scores for major depressive disorder (PRS-MDD) have been identified in large genome-wide association studies, and recent findings suggest that PRS-MDD might interact with environmental risk factors to shape human limbic brain development as early as in the prenatal period. Striatal structures are crucially involved in depression; however, the association of PRS-MDD with infant striatal volumes is yet unknown. In this study, 105 Finnish mother-infant dyads (44 female, 11-54days old) were investigated to reveal how infant PRS-MDD is associated with infant dorsal striatal volumes (caudate, putamen) and whether PRS-MDD interacts with prenatal maternal depressive symptoms (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, gestational weeks 14, 24, 34) on infant striatal volumes. A robust sex-specific main effect of PRS-MDD on bilateral infant caudate volumes was observed. PRS-MDD were more positively associated with caudate volumes in boys compared to girls. No significant interaction effects of genotype PRS-MDD with the environmental risk factor "prenatal maternal depressive symptoms" (genotype-by-environment interaction) nor significant interaction effects of genotype with prenatal maternal depressive symptoms and sex (genotype-by-environment-by-sex interaction) were found for infant dorsal striatal volumes. Our study showed that a higher PRS-MDD irrespective of prenatal exposure to maternal depressive symptoms is associated with smaller bilateral caudate volumes, an indicator of greater susceptibility to major depressive disorder, in female compared to male infants. This sex-specific polygenic effect might lay the ground for the higher prevalence of depression in women compared to men.

Anxiety and Depression Among Women Living with HIV: Prevalence and Correlations.

Introduction:It has been found that HIV positive women are becoming increasingly affected by various illnesses, including Common Mental Disorders (CMDs) such as depression. Such comorbidity escalates the disease progression to the severe stage and commonly hinders treatment adherence. This study determined the prevalence of anxiety and depression amidst women living with HIV.Methods:Based on a cross-sectional and facility-based study, 357 HIV positive women were recruited using the systematic sampling technique from two public hospitals in Jijiga town, Ethiopia. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was administered for screening, and followed by a pre-tested questionnaire that comprised of Perceived Social Support and HIV stigma.Results:The results revealed that the prevalence of both anxiety and depression amidst HIV positive women was 28.9% and 32.5%, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, it was discovered that lack of formal education, being divorced, unemployed, and earning a monthly income less than 1400 ETB (37.5 USD) were significantly associated with depression. Women with symptomatic HIV clinical stage III (AOR =2.06, 95% C.I (0.75-5.61), with CD4 cell count below 250 (AOR = 1.14, 95% C.I (0.57-2.28), and with co-infections (AOR= 1.04, 95% C.I (0.40-2.71) also suffered from depression.Conclusion:The study outcomes show that the prevalence of depression in women with HIV was 32.5%, but they were more likely to be depressed if they were illiterate, divorced, unemployed or had a financial burden. In addition, HIV positive women with less CD4 cell count and in the final clinical stage or suffered from a co-infection were also associated with depressive symptoms. This signifies the public health implications of psychological and cognitive morbidities of the illness among these women with chronic illnesses. Hence, future mental health interventions and HIV care should be integrated with substantial emphasis given to vulnerable groups, including HIV positive women.

Higher Prevalence of Depression in Women: A Novel Evolutionary Justification

The most consistent finding across all of the studies on the prevalence and incidence of unipolar major depression is that it is approximately twofold more common among women than men ...

IMPACT OF LIPID METABOLISM DISORDERS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL RISK FACTORS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AMONG WOMEN OF DIFFERENT AGE CATEGORIES

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death in women in industrialized countries. One of the most common forms of coronary heart disease worldwide is unstable angina pectoris (angina pectoris). NS remains one of the most acute cardiology problems and accounts for about 75-80% of all acute coronary heart failure episodes. The impact of risk factors on the development of IUD in women is more aggressive than in men: data from various studies show a prevalence of depression in women of between 9 and 30% (1, 5). In particular, depression is more prevalent among ILI patients than in the general population, accounting for 18-65% (3, 9). Different studies highlight several important risk factors for mood disorders in somatic diseases. The results of recent studies suggest that patients with IBS in combination with anxiety disorder have an increased level of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6. Not only IL-6 but also TNFα levels were significantly higher in patients with CHD in combination with depressive disorder.

Rural Womenandrsquo;s Mental Health: Status and Need for Services

Background: Depression remains an issue worldwide. Women are at greater risk than men of experiencing depression, especially women living in rural areas. Mental health care in rural populations is less easily addressed than in urban areas. This descriptive study examined the prevalence of depression in women living in rural areas of Illinois. Additionally, it examined whether existing mental health care services meet the needs of rural women, as well as possible barriers preventing women from seeking help when needed. Methods: A survey was distributed to women ages 18 and older living in rural communities of Illinois. Results: 189 women completed the survey. 26.1% self-reported depression; when combined with previously diagnosed depression and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised (CESD-R) scores, 50.9% were at-risk for depression. Over one-quarter of study participants did not think available mental health care was sufficient. Discussion: Prevalence of depression in rural women is high. There is an inconsistency between need for and use of health care services. Screening for depression in rural primary care settings might help more women receive adequate treatment. Further research with additional rural communities is necessary.