Prevalence Of Self-reported Depression Research Articles

Influence of physical activity level and perceived social support on mental health and psychological distress in women with menopause problems

ABSTRACT Perceived Social Support (PSS) and Physical Activity (PA) could have an important role in reducing psychological distress in women with problems in the menopausal period. The aim was to analyze the associations between a) Self-Perceived Health (SPH), prevalence of self-reported depression and anxiety, and mental health and its subscales, through the Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) with b) the Physical Activity Level (PAL) and c) the PSS, through the Duke-UNC-11 functional social support questionnaire in Spanish women with problems in the menopausal period. This document uses data from the Spanish National Health Survey of 2017, focusing on women between 40 and 69 years of age with problems in the menopausal period. Dependency relationships were found between the prevalence of depression and PAL, anxiety and PAL, and SPH with PAL (p < 0.001). Weak inverse correlations were found between PAL and mental health, Coping Success, Self-confidence, and Stress (rho: − 0.214 to − 0.258; p < 0.001). Also, weak and very weak significant inverse correlations were found between PAL and all items of the GHQ-12. Weak inverse correlations were found between PSS scores and mental health, Coping, and Stress (r: −0.201 to − 0.304; p < 0.001). Likewise, weak and very weak inverse correlations, although statistically significant, were found between the PSS scores and the responses to the GHQ-12 items. Very active women with higher PSS have less psychological distress, higher self-esteem, and better prevalence of positive health.

A comparison of psychiatric symptoms between mental health professionals with and without post-infection sequelae of COVID-19

Post-infection sequelae of COVID-19 (PISC) have raised public health concerns. However, it is not clear whether infected mental health professionals (MHPs) with PISC have experienced more psychiatric symptoms than MHPs without PISC do. This study examined differences in the prevalence of self-reported depression, anxiety, insomnia and suicidality as well as the network structures of these symptoms between these two groups. Participants completed questionnaire measures of psychiatric symptoms and demographics. Expected influence was used to measure centrality of symptoms and network comparison tests were adopted to compare differences in the two network models. The sample comprised 2,596 participants without PISC and 2,573 matched participants with PISC. MHPs with PISC had comparatively higher symptom levels related to depression (55.2% vs. 23.5 %), anxiety (32.0% vs. 14.9 %), insomnia (43.3% vs. 17.3 %), and suicidality (9.6% vs. 5.3 %). PHQ4 (“Fatigue”), PHQ6 (“Guilt”), and GAD2 (“Uncontrollable Worrying”) were the most central symptoms in the “without PISC” network model. Conversely, GAD3 (“Worry too much”), GAD5 (“Restlessness”), and GAD4 (“Trouble relaxing”) were more central in the “with PISC” network model. In sum, MHPs with PISC experienced comparatively more psychiatric symptoms and related disturbances. Network results provide foundations for the expectation that MHPs with PISC may benefit from interventions that address anxiety-related symptoms, while those without PISC may benefit from interventions targeting depression-related symptoms.

Health characteristics and behaviors associated with self-reported depression among Brazilian reproductive-aged women: Data from a population-based survey (2020–2021)

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the health characteristics and behaviors associated with depression in a large probabilistic sample of Brazilian reproductive-aged women. A total of 11,698 non-pregnant women aged 18–49 years old from the 26 Brazilian capitals and Federal District were interviewed by landline between 2020 and 2021. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the Odds Ratio (OR) of health characteristics and behaviors (smoking, alcohol abuse, physical activity, regular intake of fruits and vegetables, overweight, obesity and poor self-rated health) according to the presence of depression and drug treatment for depression. Medical diagnosis of depression, and other health characteristics and behaviors were self-reported. Analyses were adjusted by age, race/skin color, education, and marital status. Prevalence of self-reported depression was 13.3% and drug treatment for depression was reported by 5.3% of the total studied population. The presence of self-reported depression was associated with smoking (adjusted OR - aOR 2.15; CI95%:1.44–3.20), regular intake of fruits and vegetables (aOR 0.75; CI95%:0.59–0.95), overweight (aOR 1.38; CI95%:1.10–1.71), obesity (aOR 1.34; CI95%:1.04–1.71) and poor self-rated health (aOR 4.34; CI95%:3.04–6.21). Drug treatment for depression was associated with smoking (aOR 2.29; CI95%:1.33–3.95), overweight (aOR 1.65; CI95%:1.18–2.30) and poor self-rated health (aOR 4.20; CI95%:2.59–6.83). Self-reported depression and drug treatment for depression were associated with unfavorable health characteristics and behaviors among reproductive-aged women in Brazil.

Determinants of Depression: Implications for African Americans and other populations during the COVID-19 pandemic

Objective: To explore the impact of Social Determinants of Health (SDH) on the prevalence of selfreported depression among adults aged ≥18 years in the United States to understand baseline data in advance of an anticipated increase in depression due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Data were analyzed from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) for adults aged ≥ 18 years. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for factors associated with self-reported depression. All analyses were conducted using SAS version 9.4. Results: The results of the multivariable logistic regression analysis show that females (AOR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.71-1.87); those with an annual household income of less than $50,000; those who were divorced (AOR= 1.42; 95% CI=1.34-1.51); those who were separated (AOR= 1.41; 95% CI=1.23-1.60); those who were never married (AOR= 1.24; 95% CI=1.16-1.32) and those who perceived their health as poor (AOR= 2.18; 95% CI=2.07-2.30) were significantly more likely to report a history of depression diagnosis. The findings also indicate that feeling unsafe or extremely unsafe in one's neighborhood, not being able to pay bills, and having higher levels of stress were associated with higher odds of reporting a history of depression diagnosis. Conclusion: Three variables of SDH were associated with depression. Since these variables are also impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we can anticipate an increase in depression diagnoses. The results of this study can be used to inform the allocation of resources for depression prevention and treatment.

Dental trainees' mental health changes, sources of stress, coping strategies, and suggestions for mental health improvement 1 year into the pandemic.

The goal of this study was to assess how the mental health of dental trainees has changed during the pandemic and to identify the most stressful aspects of trainees' programs, stress coping strategies, and suggestions for individual and institution-driven solutions to improve wellness. The study focused on dental trainees at the University of Washington who completed a wellness survey in fall 2020 (n = 126; response rate = 35.5%) and spring 2021 (n = 105; response rate = 29.6%). The survey included self-report measures assessing four mental health outcomes: depression, anxiety, isolation from peers, and burnout. Stressful aspects of the training program, coping strategies, and institution-driven solutions were measured with open-ended survey items. The chi-square test was used to compare mental health outcome measures between fall and spring and open-ended survey responses were inductively coded. The prevalence of self-reported depression and anxiety did not change between fall 2020 and spring 2021 (17.2% vs. 21.1%, p = 0.473; 22.4% vs. 23.7%, p = 0.818). Isolation from peers and burnout each significantly increased by almost 20% from fall 2020 to spring 2021 (46.8% vs. 64.3%; p = 0.009 and 26.6% vs. 43.9%; p = 0.017). Trainees identified workload as the most stressful aspect of their program and described using exercise and social support to cope with stress. Trainees suggested institution-supported increases in social events and mental health resources. One year into the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, poor mental health outcomes were common among dental trainees because of high workload and isolation from peers. Dental schools should promote targeted programs and services aimed at improving dental trainees' well-being.

Prevalence of self-reported depression in Brazil: National Health Survey 2019 and 2013.

To describe the prevalence of self-reported depression among Brazilian adults in the 2019 National Health Survey (PNS) and compare to the 2013 PNS. Cross-sectional study of Brazilian adults using data from the 2019 and 2013 PNS. Prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) of self-reported depression were estimated by region and demographic characteristics. Bivariate analyses were conducted using chi-squared tests. There were 90,846 participants aged ≥ 18 years in 2019, and 60,202 in 2013. Between 2013 and 2019, prevalence of self-reported depression increased from 7.6% (95%CI 7.2;8.1) to 10.2% (95%CI 9.9;10.6) and of individuals who sought healthcare, from 46.4% (95%CI 43.8;49.1) to 52.8% (95%CI 50.7;55.0). Private clinics were the main source of healthcare. Depression is highly prevalent in Brazil. Prevalence of diagnosis of depression and use of health services increased in the studied period. The predominance of care in private clinics suggests inequalities in the improvement of mental healthcare coverage.

Joint Waterpipe and Cigarette Smoking as Key Correlate of History of Depression in Iranian Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Research on the association between waterpipe smoking and depression is limited. This study aimed to explore the prevalence and adjusted associated correlates of depression among Iranian adult. We analyzed data from 974 participants of a population-based cross-sectional study enrolling 18-50-year-old residents of Tehran, Iran in 2015. Data on lifetime self-reported history of depression, smoking behaviors, socioeconomic status, self-rated health, physical activity, stressful life events as well as a number of relevant confounders was obtained. Logistic regression models were employed for estimating adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI). The mean (SD) age of the study sample was 32.55 (8.58) years. Of 974 recruited adults, 52.36% were female. The lifetime prevalence of depression in the general population was 17.0%. In general, 21.77% and 24.79% of participant reported lifetime history of cigarette and waterpipe smoking, respectively. While only cigarette smoking (OR = 1.94, 95% CI: (1.04-3.61) and only waterpipe smoking (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: (.95-2.86) were significantly associated with depression, joint cigarette and waterpipe smoking (OR= 3.76, 95% CI: (1.99-6.08) was the strongest correlate of depression followed by female gender (OR = 3.28, 95% CI: (2.08-5.15) and poor self-rated health (OR = 2.47, 95% CI: (1.73-3.53). The prevalence of self-reported depression in general population of Tehran is considerably higher than its global mean. We reported joint cigarette and waterpipe smoking as a significant correlate with depression in the general population. Future health promotion interventions should highlight the disadvantages of joint cigarette and waterpipe smoking targeting adults and especially females.

Depressive Symptoms and Their Correlates Among Older People in Rural Viet Nam: A Study Highlighting the Role of Family Factors.

This study examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms among older people living in a rural district in Hanoi, Vietnam in 2021. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a sample of 495 people aged 60 years or older, using a structured questionnaire. The prevalence of self-reported depression, based on the short-form Geriatric Depression Scale—15 items, was 28.7%. Results from multiple variable logistic regression analyses showed that there was a significant association between age, educational level, family support, domestic violence, and depression. The study findings emphasize the importance of screening for depression in older people living in rural areas and the need for interventions aimed to enhance family support and reduce family-related stressors.

What are the predisposing factors of depressive disorders among school teachers?

Abstract Introduction Teachers' psychological wellbeing is important for both teachers and student's development, but is highly stressful, particularly in special education. Chronic stress is associated with a range of mental health problems including risk of depression, which could lead to low quality of life and dropout. This research aimed to determine the prevalence of depression and their predisposing factors among school teachers. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on a randomized sample of 258 secondary school teachers in Sfax, Southern Tunisia on march 2021. The instrument used for depression measurement was adopted from the generalized anxiety disorder assessment (GAD-7). Results Among 258 school teachers, 136 were females (52.7%). The mean age was 47.5±8.1. Overall, 47 teachers (18.2%) had a work seniority above 30 years. According to the work conditions, 118 cases (45.7%) had problems with their students, 30 cases (11.6%) had problems with parents and 10 subjects (4%) had conflicts with their colleagues. The prevalence of depression was 44.6%. Moderate and severe depression were respectively noted in 72 (27.9%) and 43 (16.7%) teachers. In multivariate logistic regression, female gender (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=2.1; p = 0.004), history of chronic disease (AOR= 2.6; p = 0.001), working outside the family's region of residence (AOR= 1.8; p = 0.048), active smoking (AOR= 1.9; p = 0.042) and having problems with students at school (AOR=2.2; p = 0.039) were independently associated with higher prevalence of depression. Conclusions The prevalence of self-reported depression among school teachers was notably high, which may hamper their relationships and effectiveness with students. The most prominent risk factors were related to unhealthy lifestyle and lack of social support with students. Therefore, managing work conditions and establishing appropriate consulting and supporting programs are urgently required. Key messages Depression disorders. School teachers.

Depression and Diabetes in Workers Across the Life Span: Addressing the Health of America's Workforce-Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2014-2018.

Diabetes affects nearly 12.2% of U.S. adults. Comorbid depressive symptoms among U.S. workers with diabetes are associated with increased unemployment and reduced work performance. This study examined the age-group-specific prevalence of depression among U.S. workers with self-reported diabetes and identified factors associated with depression. Data from the 2014-2018 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System were used to examine the prevalence of depression among adult workers with diabetes in the United States. Relationships between depression prevalence and diabetes and demographic, physical, and behavioral risk factors were examined through bivariate and multivariable analyses. Age was categorized into four groups: 18-34, 35-54, 55-64, and ≥65 years. The overall prevalence of self-reported depression among U.S. workers with diabetes was 17.4-30% higher than among those without diabetes. Workers with diabetes aged 18-34 years had the highest depression prevalence (28.7%) compared with other age-groups. Female workers with diabetes were significantly more likely than male workers to report depression in all age-groups. Young adult workers with diabetes who had another chronic disease were nearly three times more likely to report depression than those without another chronic condition. There were no overlapping patterns of prevalence of diabetes and depression by state. Workers with diabetes are at an increased risk of depression, which can affect their overall health and productivity. These findings indicate that, among those with diabetes, young adult workers and women are most likely to have depression. Employee wellness programs may address the specific needs of individuals with diabetes and depression.

Perception of Threat and Psychological Impact of COVID-19 among Expatriates in Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia.

In the first few months of the pandemic, Makkah region reported the highest number of COVID-19 cases among all regions in Saudi Arabia. More than 80% of these reported cases were non-Saudi residents. In this study, we evaluated the perceived threat from and psychological impact of COVID-19 among non-Saudi residents of Makkah region. This was a cross-sectional analysis of data collected using a standardized self-report questionnaire. A total of 292 expatriates were included in the study, the majority of whom were non-Arabic speakers. The prevalence of self-reported depression was nearly 40%, anxiety was 32%, and stress was 43%. The findings indicated variability in the prevalence of psychological symptoms among expatriates from different ethnic backgrounds. Additionally, work environment and perceived threat were strong predictors of psychological disorders. This suggested that the perceived threat from and psychological burden of COVID-19 among non-Saudis in Makkah region is substantial. Future research should investigate the reasons behind these variations in the psychological impact of the pandemic among different ethnic groups.

Chronic ill health in a regional Victoria setting: A 13-year comparison.

High-quality data regarding the prevalence of chronic disease in rural areas are essential in understanding the challenges faced by rural populations and for informing strategies to address health care needs. This study compared the prevalence of a range of self-reported chronic conditions and utilisation of GP services and emergency department in a regional Victorian setting between two studies conducted in the same region in 2001-2003 and 2014. Repeat cross-sectional studies conducted over a decade apart. The projects were conducted in the Goulburn Valley in regional Victoria. The earlier study randomly selected households from local government lists. The later study randomly selected householders from the telephone directory. Participants were asked whether they had been diagnosed with a range of chronic health conditions and how often they had visited a general practitioner or emergency department in the past 12months. The age-standardised prevalence of depression was higher in the 2014 study than the 2001-2003 study in men (increased by 8.0% (95% CI 4.5, 11.5%)) and women (increased by 13.7% (95% CI 8.4, 19.0%)). Similarly, the prevalence of age-standardised diabetes and hypertension was higher in 2014 than 2001-2003 (men increased by 3.6% (95% CI 0.7, 6.5% (diabetes)) and 13.6% (95% CI 8.6, 18.6% (hypertension)), women increased by 3.1% (95% CI 0.3, 6.5% (diabetes)) and 8.4% (95% CI 2.3, 14.5% (hypertension))). The results of this study indicate that the prevalence of self-reported depression, diabetes and hypertension has increased in this regional Victorian area over the past 13years. The reasons for these observed increases and the subsequent impact on the health care needs of regional communities warrants further investigation.

The prevalence of depression and associated risk factors among medical students: An untold story in Vietnam.

BackgroundDepression is a common mental health problem in medical students worldwide. The association between depression and motivation in Vietnamese medical students is not well-documented.ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence of self-reported depression and to identify associated risk factors among medical students at Hanoi Medical University (HMU).MethodA cross-sectional study was conducted on medical students with clinical experience at HMU from November 2015 to January 2016. We used the multistage cluster random sampling technique to select and invite students to complete a questionnaire including demographic characteristics, Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), and International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ).ResultsAmong 494 participants (78.8% response rate), the prevalence of self-reported depression was 15.2% (95%CI:12.0%-19.0%), and suicidal ideation was 7.7% (95%CI:6.2%-9.5%). Self-reported depression was significantly associated with perceived financial burden, physical inactivity, being senior student, perceived negative influence of night shifts, and non-self-determined motivation profile. Suicidal ideation was significantly associated with perceived financial burden and non-self-determined motivation profile. In the multivariable regression models, significant risk factors for self-reported depression were non-self-determined motivation (PR = 2.62, 95%CI:1.68–4.07), perceived financial burden (PR = 1.95, 95%CI:1.39–2.73), and vigorous level of physical activity (PR = 0.43, 95%CI:0.20–0.942). For suicidal ideation, non-self-determined motivation (PR = 2.33, 95%CI:1.13–4.80) and perceived financial burden (PR = 1.91, 95%CI:1.16–3.13) were significant risk factors.Strengths and limitationsThe strengths of our study included a representative sample, a good response rate, and using a good depression screening tool. However, the PHQ-9 only allowed us to screen for depression, and the translation of the AMS and IPAQ into Vietnamese could potentially decrease these tools’ validity.ConclusionThe prevalence of self-reported depression and suicidal ideation in medical students is notably higher compared to the general population in Vietnam. Non-self-determined motivation and financial burden were the prominent risk factors for both the depression and suicidal ideation in medical students.

Social participation and perceived depression among elderly population in South Africa.

There is a growing consensus regarding the influence of various psychosocial factors such as degree of social participation on health and disease outcomes, quality of life, and general well-being. Older individuals with diminished motor and physical functionality suffer a heightened risk of social exclusion and loneliness. Previous studies have demonstrated the association between social exclusion and loneliness with mental health among the older population. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether or not difficulty in social participation has any relationship with perceived depression among older individuals in South Africa. We collected cross-sectional data from the SAGE Well-Being of Older People Study 2010 on 422 men and women aged 50 years and above. Perceived depression and loss of interest in things (eg, personal relationships, hobbies) during the last 12 months were used as outcome variables with difficulty in joining community activities, relationships/community participation, friendships, and visiting family/friends as the main explanatory variables. Findings indicated that the prevalence of self-reported depression and the feeling of reduced interest in most things were respectively 51.9% and 43.8%. In the multivariate analysis, those who reported difficulty in joining community activities had respectively 64% (OR =1.639; 95% CI =1.081–2.583) and 69% (OR =1.685; 95% CI) higher odds of depression and loss of interest in things compared with those who did not report any difficulty. The study concludes that addressing the barriers to engaging in community activities may help minimize burden of depression among the elderly population in South Africa. Furthermore, large-scale studies are warranted to explore the social and structural barriers which constrain community participation among the elderly population.

What Stops Us From Healing the Healers: a Survey of Help-Seeking Behaviour, Stigmatisation and Depression Within the Medical Profession

Doctors are poor at help-seeking, particularly for mental ill health; attitudes of colleagues reflecting stigmatisation may be important factors influencing decisions to seek support. This article focuses on doctors' attitudes to depression rather than mental illness in general. It seeks to determine the extent to which doctors perceive depression is stigmatised within the medical profession and whether the level of perceived stigma affects patterns of help-seeking behaviour. : A postal survey was sent to 1488 General Practitioners and 152 psychiatrists in Devon and Cornwall. Questions assessed stigmatising attitudes to depression; help-seeking behaviour and barriers to help-seeking. Prevalence of self-reported depression and time off work was measured. The response rate was 76.6%. Doctors perceived that many of their profession hold stigmatising views of depression. Some 46.2% of respondents reported that they had suffered an episode of depression. Help-seeking was significantly reduced in those with a history of depression. Barriers to help-seeking were reported as letting colleagues down (73.1%), confidentiality (53.4%), letting patients down (51.9%) and career progression (15.7%). Gender and a history of depression significantly affected help-seeking behaviour and perceived stigmatisation. Higher levels of perceived stigma increased concerns about help-seeking and reduced help-seeking from own GP or colleagues. Stigma associated with depression in doctors is endemic in the medical profession and the level of perceived stigma is related to reduced help-seeking behaviour. Efforts need to be made by the profession to reduce the stigma anticipated by those who become depressed, to enable appropriate help-seeking and support.

Trends in Antidepressant Utilization From 2001 to 2004

This study investigated whether the trend of increasing rates of antidepressant use in the 1990s continued into 2000-2004. Antidepressant treatment rates were examined by age group and by the class of antidepressant in order to identify whether any observed trends were being driven by a particular age group of patients or class of medication. Secondary analysis was performed on data from the 2000-2004 Medical Panel Expenditure Surveys, a nationally representative survey of U.S. households, to examine trends in antidepressant use by age group and medication class in the total sample (N=166,435). Trends in the rates of antidepressant use among individuals with self-reported depression (N=10,959) and self-reported anxiety disorders without comorbid depression (N=6,899) were also examined. Antidepressant use increased among all Americans, from 6.6% in 2000 to 8.1% in 2004 (p<.001). Rates of antidepressant use by individuals with anxiety disorders without comorbid depression increased from 30.8% in 2000 to 39.0% in 2002, before declining to 33.2% in 2004. However, antidepressant use decreased among individuals with self-reported depression, from 63.1% in 2000 to 56.7% in 2004 (p<.001). This downward trend in antidepressant use was largely driven by a decrease in use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, especially among children and middle-aged adults with depression. Rates of adequate antidepressant treatment (defined as receiving at least four antidepressant prescriptions at the minimum adequate daily dosage) peaked in 2002 (36.9%), and there was a significant decline by 2004 (31.7%) (p=.003). After years of increased use of antidepressant therapy to treat depression, a trend reversal in the beginning of the 21st century was observed, including decreasing rates of adequate antidepressant treatment. This downward trend preceded the black-box warnings included on antidepressant labels beginning in 2004.

Screening for depressive symptoms in patients with unresectable lung cancer

Early identification of psychological distress and depression is important to optimise the quality of life in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The prevalence of depression may vary, depending on the time since diagnosis of cancer, results of the treatment and the prognosis. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of a self-administered screening tool (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)) with a health professional administered tool (Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)) and to explore the variability of major affective symptoms in patients with unresectable lung cancer during the initial 7-8 weeks of chemotherapy treatment for their illness. Patients with newly diagnosed unresectable lung cancer were screened on four occasions for anxiety and depressive symptoms simultaneously using the self-rated HADS and the MADRS administered by a psycho-oncologist or a trained research associate. The first assessment was done within 1 week of diagnosis and was repeated on 3 occasions during the initial 2 cycles of chemotherapy. Forty-nine patients, aged 38-82 years (median age 63 years) were enrolled. All patients had advanced NSCLC (stages 3A, 3B and 4) and 61% (30 patients) had an ECOG performance status (PS) of 1 or greater. The point prevalence of depression measured by an interviewer using the MADRS at visits 1-4 was 49%, 51%, 47%, and 41%, respectively. The point prevalence of self-reported depression (HADS) was significantly (p < 0.001) lower at each assessment point (18%, 20%, 6%, 12%) compared to health professional detected depression (MADRS). Although MADRS and HADS showed very strong (Pearson's correlation = 0.8) and significant (p < 0.001) correlation, the concordance rate in identifying the same cases of depression was only 54%. CLINICAL IMPLICATION AND CONCLUSION: The prevalence of depression among advanced lung cancer patients is high and varies very little during the first 2 cycles of chemotherapy. Among a variety of tools available for the screening of depression, a semi-structured interview is more effective at identifying clinically significant depression than a self-administered questionnaire.

Self-Reported Depression in Mothers of Children Who Have Experienced Sexual Abuse

The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II; A. T. Beck, R. A. Steer, & G. K. Brown, 1996) was administered to 164 biological mothers of sexually abused children to determine the psychometric characteristics of the BDI-II and to estimate the prevalence of self-reported depression in this population. The study also sought to ascertain whether the mothers’ BDI-II total scores were correlated with various psychosocial characteristics of the mothers and their children. It was found that there was only one dimension underlying the 21 BDI-II responses, and the internal consistency of the BDI-II total scores was high. Twenty-six percent of these mothers had scores indicative of clinical depression. The mothers’ BDI-II total scores were significantly correlated with their husbands’ or paramours’ having sexually abused their children and their ratings of the children’s internalizing behaviors. These results were discussed as supporting the use of the BDI-II with mothers of sexually abused children to measure self-reported depression.

Self-reported mental distress under the shifting daylight in the high north.

The validity of the concept of seasonal affective disorder and the causal link to lack of daylight in winter is controversial. There is a need for investigations in large samples of the general population at different latitudes and within general research contexts to avoid selective response bias and sensitization of the population. During a study of health effects of the air pollution from Russia in a small community at 70 degrees north, a self-administered questionnaire was filled in by 3736 inhabitants, 60.8% of the total population between 18 and 69 years. Three questions concerned depression, sleeping problems and other problems related to the two contrasting seasons with regard to daylight. Twenty-seven per cent reported to have some kind of problem in the dark period. Most frequently reported were sleeping problems during winter, in 19.9% of women and 11.2% of men. Self-reported depression in winter was found in 11.1% of women and 4.8%% of men. Sleeping problems increased with age, while depression was most often reported by middle-aged people. The only other reported problem in winter was fatigue. The adjusted relative risk (RR) for winter depression in women compared to men was 2.5 (95% confidence interval: 1.9-3.2). Very few had problems in summer. In the high north, one-third of the women and one-fifth of the men experience problems with sleep, mood or energy related to season. The prevalence of self-reported depression was surprisingly low in winter considering the lack of daylight.