Risk Factors For Depressive Symptoms Research Articles

Psychological disturbances encountered by the healthcare professionals, military professionals and general public in Sri Lanka during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic is a serious global health concern, posing a greater risk of psychological vulnerabilities for frontline healthcare workers (HCWs), military professionals and the general public around the globe. These psychological issues appear to be long lasting and heighten the risk of mental health disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to identify psychological problems encountered by HCWs, military professionals, and the general public in Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was undertaken with 367 participants, including frontline HCWs (n = 128), military professionals (n = 102), and the general public (n = 137). Depression and anxiety were assessed using the Peradeniya Depression Scale (PDS) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), respectively.ResultsMean (± SD) age of the participants was 35.0 (± 10.6) years. A reasonable proportion of participants experienced depressive symptoms (39.25%, n = 144) and severe anxiety (12.8%, n = 47). Military professionals showed depressive symptoms (73.50%, n = 75) and severe anxiety (32.4%, n = 33) predominantly. Multivariate binary logistic regression revealed that only the level of education and professional engagement affected depressive symptoms and severe anxiety (p < 0.01). Having a high level of education was a protective factor for depressive symptoms (Adjusted OR = 0.34) compared to lower-level education, while being a HCW (Adjusted OR = 4.40) and military professional (Adjusted OR = 5.43) were identified as risk factors for depressive symptoms compared to the general public. Similarly, having a high level of education was a protective factor for severe anxiety (Adjusted OR = 0.29) compared to lower-level education, while being a HCW (Adjusted OR = 3.90) and military professional (Adjusted OR = 4.52) were identified as risk factors for severe anxiety compared to the general public.ConclusionThe current study revealed a greater level of anxiety and depressive symptoms among frontline HCWs and military professionals in Sri Lanka during the pandemic of COVID-19 compared to the general public. Therefore, providing psychological first aid for them to better deal with mental problems and an emergency preparedness plan to deal with sudden outbreaks of infectious situations are important.

Is the Teaching Environment a Risk Factor for Depression Symptoms? The Case of Capricorn District in Limpopo, South Africa

The global increase in mental disorders also identifies the workplace, including the teaching environment, as a key source of such disorders. Social problems among learners often put additional pressure on the teachers, over and above their normal academic, administrative and organizational responsibilities, thus contributing to high levels of stress among teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression symptoms, as well as the associated sociodemographic factors, among teachers in Capricorn District, Limpopo Province, South Africa. A cross-sectional quantitative study design using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) tool was used to determine the symptoms of depression among a sample of 381 teachers. A self-administrated questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data, which were analyzed descriptively. Pearson chi-square tests were used to explore associations between a range of sociodemographic variables and PHQ scores. A final logistic regression model was used for factors that were significantly associated with depression symptoms according to Chi-square tests. The majority of the participants were Black (83.45%) and female (70.87%) and had obtained a bachelor’s degree as their highest qualification (53.95%). Almost half of participants (49.87%) tested positive for symptoms of depression, which ranged from mild to severe. Employment-related factors that were significantly associated with depression symptoms included the quintile ranking of the school, the school where employed, learner-to-teacher ratio and the subjects taught by the teacher. Personal factors that were associated with depression included gender, marital status and race. Depression symptoms amongst teachers were mostly associated with workplace factors.

The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among first-year and fifth-year medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundMedical students have higher risk of psychological disorders due to the relatively stressful environment. Educators are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of stresses on the students general well-being. The objective of the current study was to examine the prevalence of and risk factors for depressive and anxiety symptoms among first-year and fifth-year medical students. Additionally, we aimed to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected students’ mental well-being.MethodsA cross-sectional study was performed at the College of Medicine at King Saud University between September 2020 and January 2021. The target population was first-year and fifth-year medical students. Depressive symptoms were screened using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), while anxiety symptoms were screened using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder assessment (GAD-7). Students were also directly asked about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental well-being. Outcomes were compared between groups using the chi-squared test and Student’s t test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms.ResultsA total of 182 medical students were included. Depressive symptoms (52.9% versus 35.8%, p = 0.020) and anxiety symptoms (35.6% versus 26.3%, p = 0.176) were higher in the first-year students than in the fifth-year students. Approximately 19.2% of the students were worried about acquiring COVID-19, 49.4% were worried about academic performance, and 30.8% were feeling sad, depressed or anxious during the COVID-19 pandemic. Independent risk factors for depressive symptoms included having concomitant anxiety, being worried about acquiring COVID-19, being worried about academic performance, and feeling sad, depressed or anxious. Independent risk factors for anxiety included having a lower grade point average and having concomitant depressive symptoms.ConclusionMedical students have an alarmingly high prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, which might have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a need for a special mental health program targeting new and current medical students.

Risk Factors for Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: An Analysis of Data from the Eighth Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging 2020

Purpose: Cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms often accompany one another, as depressive symptoms often worsen cognitive impairment. This study aimed to identify the risk factors for depressive symptoms in older adults with mild cognitive impairment in Korea.Methods: This study analyzed data from the eighth Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging 2020. A total of 1,023 participants aged 65 and older were selected as participants whose scores on the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination ranged from 18 to 23. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, the Rao-Scott &lt;i&gt;x&lt;/i&gt;&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; test, and logistic regression using complex samples were performed.Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms among participants was 33.2%. According to the logistic regression analysis, the significant risk factors affecting depressive symptoms in older adults with mild cognitive impairment were having a high education level (odds ratio [OR]=1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.23~3.16), low hand grip strength (OR=1.85, 95% CI=1.12~3.08), visual impairment (OR=3.31, 95% CI=1.36~8.04), good oral health status (OR=0.97, 95% CI=0.95~0.99), and rarely having contact with one’s neighbors (OR=2.52 95% CI=1.23~5.18). Among the different characteristics(demographic, health status, social, and economic), health status characteristics were identified as having the greatest influence on depressive symptoms in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that a multidimensional nursing strategy including the regular management of health conditions is necessary to prevent depressive symptoms in older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Low body mass index and disease duration as factors associated with depressive symptoms of Chinese inpatients with chronic heart failure.

Depression is common in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), and is associated with an increased risk of adverse health outcomes. There is a paucity of data on this subject from the developing countries. The aim was to examine the prevalence and related factors of depressive symptoms among Chinese inpatients with CHF. A cross-sectional study was conducted. PHQ-9 questionnaire was used to assess depressive symptoms. The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms was 7.5%. Low BMI (OR = 4.837, CI = 1.278-18.301, p = 0.02), disease duration 3-5 years (OR = 5.033, CI = 1.248-20.292, p = 0.023) and 5-10 years (OR = 5.848, CI = 1.440-23.744, p = 0.013) were risk factors for depressive symptoms, while being married (OR = 0.304, CI = 0.123-0.753, p = 0.010) was protective factor. We should pay more attention to patients without a spouse, with low BMI and whose disease duration is between 3 and 10 years in Chinese inpatients with CHF.

Kind of blue – An evaluation of etiologies for prenatal versus postnatal depression symptoms

BackgroundPrenatal and postnatal depression potentially have severe consequences, but we do not know to what extent they have the same etiological factors. Genetically informative designs yield insight into common etiology between pre- and postnatal depression and inform on potential prevention and intervention efforts. This study evaluates the overlap in genetic and environmental factors in pre- and postnatal depression symptoms. MethodsWe conducted univariate and bivariate modeling, using a quantitative, extended twin study. The sample was a subsample of the MoBa prospective pregnancy cohort study in 6039 pairs of related women. Measurement was conducted at week 30 of pregnancy and 6 months following delivery, using a self-report scale. ResultsThe heritability of depressive symptoms was 16.2 % (95 % CI = 10.7–22.1) prenatally and 25.7 % (95 % CI = 19.2–32.2) postnatally. The correlation between risk factors for prenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms was at unity (r = 1.00) for genetic effects, and at disunity (r = 0.36) for environmental effects. The genetic effects for postnatal depressive symptoms were 1.7 times larger compared to prenatal depressive symptoms. LimitationsAlthough genes for depression become more influential postpartum, only future studies can inform on the mechanisms for such a socio-biological augmentation of effect. ConclusionGenetic risk factors for prenatal and postnatal depressive symptoms are indistinguishable in kind, with greater impact after birth, whereas environmental risk factors for depression symptoms are mostly non-overlapping before and after birth. These findings indicate that interventions could be of different kind before and after birth.

Prevalence and predisposing factors of depressive symptoms in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients: a cross-sectional single center study

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of the depressive symptoms and the factors associated with the depressive symptoms in peritoneal dialysis patients.MethodsA cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of depression in 132 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. Depression was evaluated using Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristic were also investigated. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were performed to select factors associated with depressive symptoms.ResultsTheir median age was 57.5 years, and 58.3% were male. The rate of depressive symptoms in peritoneal dialysis patients was 78.0%. The rate of moderate/severe depressive symptoms was 64.4%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that lower serum hemoglobin was significantly associated with increased risks of depression (OR = 0.989, 95CI%=0.979–0.998, p = 0.023).ConclusionDepression was highly prevalent in the peritoneal dialysis patients. Serum hemoglobin was independent risk factor for depressive symptoms in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated factors during the COVID-19 pandemic: A national-based study

BackgroundPrevious studies have reported that the prevalence of depression and depressive symptoms was significantly higher than that before the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of depressive symptoms and evaluate the importance of influencing factors through Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN). MethodsData were sourced from the psychology and behavior investigation of Chinese residents (PBICR). A total of 21,916 individuals in China were included in the current study. Multiple logistic regression was applied to preliminarily identify potential risk factors for depressive symptoms. BPNN was used to explore the order of contributing factors of depressive symptoms. ResultsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms among the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic was 57.57 %. The top five important variables were determined based on the BPNN rank of importance: subjective sleep quality (100.00 %), loneliness (77.30 %), subjective well-being (67.90 %), stress (65.00 %), problematic internet use (51.20 %). ConclusionsThe prevalence of depressive symptoms in the general population was high during the COVID-19 pandemic. The BPNN model established has significant preventive and clinical meaning to identify depressive symptoms lay theoretical foundation for individualized and targeted psychological intervention in the future.

Mental Health Pandemic During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Social Media As a Window to Public Mental Health.

Intensified preventive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, such as lockdown and social distancing, heavily increased the perception of social isolation (i.e., a discrepancy between one's social needs and the provisions of the social environment) among young adults. Social isolation is closely associated with situational loneliness (i.e., loneliness emerging from environmental change), a risk factor for depressive symptoms. Prior research suggested vulnerable young adults are likely to seek support from an online social platform such as Reddit, a perceived comfortable environment for lonely individuals to seek mental health help through anonymous communication with a broad social network. Therefore, this study aims to identify and analyze depression-related dialogues on loneliness subreddits during the COVID-19 outbreak, with the implications on depression-related infoveillance during the pandemic. Our study utilized logistic regression and topic modeling to classify and examine depression-related discussions on loneliness subreddits before and during the pandemic. Our results showed significant increases in the volume of depression-related discussions (i.e., topics related to mental health, social interaction, family, and emotion) where challenges were reported during the pandemic. We also found a switch in dominant topics emerging from depression-related discussions on loneliness subreddits, from dating (prepandemic) to online interaction and community (pandemic), suggesting the increased expressions or need of online social support during the pandemic. The current findings suggest the potential of social media to serve as a window for monitoring public mental health. Our future study will clinically validate the current approach, which has implications for designing a surveillance system during the crisis.

Prevalence and risk factors of depressive symptoms in children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Depression is a serious disorder disproportionately affecting people with chronic diseases, yet, to date is rarely recognized comorbidity in pediatric rheumatology clinical routine care. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression in children with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and to identify associations to risk factors. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI)-Fast Screen Questionnaire validated for ages 13 and older and confirmed by the BDI or Hamilton Depression Scale. A cross-sectional analysis of 148 patients attending the rheumatology outpatient clinic of the Asklepios Children’s Hospital Sankt Augustin between January 2018 and May 2019 was performed. Possible associations between routinely assessed parameters of disease activity and treatment were analysed. 148 JIA patients (71.5% female), median age 14.7 years, were included. The prevalence for depressive symptoms was 13% and for depression 9.5%, of which 71.4% were newly identified with depression. Significant associations with depressive symptoms included rheumatoid factor negative polyarthritis, higher pain scores, functional limitations, higher disease activity, decreased general well-being, higher number of medications taken and not being in remission. In addition, poor treatment response (persistent pain despite therapy) and failure to achieve minimal activity/remission of disease despite intensified therapy with biologics correlated significantly with depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms are an important comorbidity in JIA. Early recognition and treatment of psychological distress is essential to prevent deterioration in quality of life and long-term prognosis. Consequently, treat-to-target principles should include mental health as a therapeutic goal.

The risk factors of progestational anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance in women with recurrent pregnancy loss: A cross-sectional study in China.

The risk factors of progestational anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance in women with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) remain controversial, additional study is needed to investigate the incidence and risk factors of progestational anxiety, depression, and sleep quality in RPL women. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 663 non-pregnant RPL women in Northeast China from October 2019 to July 2022. We assessed the state of anxiety, depression, and sleep quality before pregnancy using structured questionnaires, including sociodemographic characteristics, state-trait anxiety scale (STAI), center for epidemiological survey, depression scale (CES-D), Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), and symptom self-rating scale (SCL-90). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between sleep quality and anxiety, depression. Pearson's correlation was used to evaluate the correlation between anxiety and depression. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to find the risk factors of depression symptoms. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to evaluate the predictive value of the model. The incidence of state anxiety, trait anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance in RPL women were 60.3, 51.7, 33.9, and 31.2%, respectively. The level of anxiety and depression in RPL women varied at different stages of treatment. In a longitudinal study (25 pairs), we found the level of state anxiety and trait anxiety were significantly lower after the cause was identified. Sleep disturbance is positively correlated with anxiety and depression. Logistic regression showed that the number of miscarriages ≥4 (Odds ratio (OR) = 2.268, 95%CI 1.300-3.956), Low household family income (OR = 1.613, 95%CI 1.036-2.513/OR = 2.361, 95%CI 1.095-5.092), interval since last miscarriage <6 months (OR = 2.154, 95%CI 1.246-3.726) and sleep disturbance (OR = 5.523, 95%CI 3.542-8.614) were associated with the occurrence of depressive symptoms. At the same time, anxiety can be used as a predictor of depression. Recurrent pregnancy loss women have a certain degree of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance. Education level, interval since the last miscarriage <6 months, and sleep disturbance are risk factors for anxiety and depression. A history of pregnancy loss after 14 weeks and no living birth are also closely related to anxiety. Therefore, it is necessary to pay close attention to the psychological state of RPL women and provide appropriate psychosocial support to reduce the occurrence of negative emotions.

Identifying differential trajectories and predictors for depressive symptoms in adolescents using latent class growth analysis: A population-based cohort study.

This study investigated the differential trajectories and relevant determinants of depressive symptoms in adolescents by following cohorts that included junior, senior, and vocational high school adolescents, over a 3-year period in Taiwan. Longitudinal data were obtained from 575 adolescents who participated in the Taiwan Adolescent to Adult Longitudinal Study. Data analysis included latent class growth with time-varying covariate, univariate, and multivariate analysis. A three-class ("low but increasing trajectory," "moderate and stable trajectory," and "high but decreasing trajectory") model fit the data of the cohort. Our findings indicated that 29%, 38%, and 33% of the adolescents were in the low but increasing, moderate and stable, and high but decreasing trajectories, respectively. After confounders were controlled for, bullying experiences were identified as a risk factor for depressive symptoms. The protective factors against depressive symptoms included resilience and peer and social support. The transitions between different educational stages critically influence the depressive symptoms of adolescents, and the adolescents follow different depressive trajectories, that have different etiology. Therefore, identifying adolescents at high risk for depression and designing student-centered intervention programs through individualized and multidimensional assessment of depressive symptoms are crucial for adolescents.

Symptoms and risk factors of depression and PTSD in the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal survey conducted from 2020 to 2022 in Japan

BackgroundThe present study aimed to explore changes in depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among the general population during the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and to investigate risk factors and adaptive/nonadaptive strategies.MethodsA web-based longitudinal survey was conducted across five timepoints from 2020 to 2022 in Japan. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), PTSD was measured using Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IESR), and coping strategies were measured using Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (Brief COPE). Higher scores of PHQ-9 and IESR indicate more symptoms and Higher score of Brief COPE indicate that these means of coping are used very frequently.ResultsA total of 1,366 participants (mean age = 52.76, SD = 15.57) were analyzed. Regarding levels of depression, PHQ-9 scores in 2022 were lower than in 2020 and 2021 (all p < 0.01). Regarding levels of PTSD, IESR scores in 2022 were lower than in 2021 among females (p < 0.001). Being younger (β = -0.08 and − 0.13, both p < 0.01) and engaging in self-blame (β = 0.12 and 0.18, both p < 0.01) increased PHQ-9 scores regardless of sex. For males, not working (β = 0.09, p = 0.004) and having suffered an economic impact (β = 0.07, p = 0.003) were risk factors for depressive symptoms, and active coping (β = -0.10, p = 0.005) was associated with decreased depressive symptoms. For females, substance use (β = 0.07, p = 0.032) and behavioral disengagement (β = 0.10, p = 0.006) increased depressive symptoms, and females did not show strategies that decreased the symptoms.ConclusionsLevels of depression might have increased in the early stages of the pandemic and decreased in January 2022. Although males need to improve their economic situation to decrease depressive symptoms, adaptive strategies might be difficult to identify due to the prolonged pandemic among both sexes. In addition, the pandemic might be a depressive event but not a traumatic event among the general population, at least in Japan.

Effect of esketamine on postoperative depressive symptoms in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

Depressive symptoms are common among patients with lung cancer. We aimed to assess the effects of esketamine on postoperative depressive symptoms after thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 156 patients undergoing thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to receive intravenous esketamine (intraoperatively and in patient-controlled analgesia until 48 h postoperatively) or normal saline placebo. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with depressive symptoms at 1 month postoperatively, assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Secondary outcomes included depressive symptoms at 48 h postoperatively, hospital discharge and 3 months postoperatively, BDI-II scores, anxious symptoms, Beck Anxiety Inventory scores, Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) scores, and 1- and 3-month mortality. A total of 151 patients (75 in the esketamine group and 76 in the normal saline group) completed the 1-month follow-up. The esketamine group had a significantly lower incidence of depressive symptoms at 1 month compared to the normal saline group (1.3% vs. 11.8%; risk difference = -10.5, 95%CI = -19.6% to -0.49%; p = 0.018). After excluding patients without lung cancer diagnosis, the incidence of depressive symptoms was also lower in the esketamine group (1.4% vs. 12.2%; risk difference = -10.8, 95%CI = -20.2% to -0.52%; p = 0.018). The secondary outcomes were similar between groups, except that the esketamine group had higher QoR-15 scores at 1 month postoperatively (median difference = 2; 95%CI = 0 to 5; p = 0.048). The independent risk factors for depressive symptoms were hypertension (odds ratio = 6.75, 95%CI = 1.13 to 40.31; p = 0.036) and preoperative anxious symptoms (odds ratio = 23.83, 95%CI = 3.41 to 166.33; p = 0.001). Perioperative administration of esketamine reduced the incidence of depressive symptoms at 1 month after thoracoscopic lung cancer surgery. History of hypertension and preoperative anxious symptoms were independent risk factors for depressive symptoms.Clinical trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry http://www.chictr.org.cn, Identifier (ChiCTR2100046194).

Depressive symptoms among Thai male seafarers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundPrevalence of depressive symptoms among seafarers is higher than the general population because of their unique work conditions. Factors that can be changed must be considered and promptly addressed in order to decrease the prevalence of depression. This study aims to clarify the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its related factors among Thai seafarers in an effort to contribute to policies and to prevent depression among Thai seafarers.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among 381 male seafarers working onboard ocean-going vessels of five Thai shipping companies. The questionnaire items comprised of personal factors, working factors and depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Thai version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. First, the chi-square test was used for univariate analysis. Then, variables significantly associated by the chi-square test were used for multivariate logistic regression analysis (employing the stepwise method) as independent variables.ResultsThe average age of participants in this study was 36.4 years. Prevalence of depressive symptoms was 19.5%. One half of the participants (58.3%) reported subjective sleep problems, and most (75.1%) experienced poor coping behaviors. Two thirds (67.5%) were officers, and 10.1% of participants reported that they sometimes or never performed occupational safety behaviors. Regarding work environments, 62.2% reported that their work was disturbed from performing repetitive tasks. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed two personal factors; sleep problems (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 7.97, 95% Confidence interval (CI) = 3.52–18.05) and poor coping behaviors (AOR = 4.46, 95%CI = 1.61–12.34), and three working factors; job assignment (AOR = 2.50, 95%CI = 1.33–4.70), inadequate occupational safety behaviors (AOR = 4.51, 95%CI = 1.85–11.01) and performing repetitive task (AOR = 2.27, 95%CI = 1.16–4.45), were significantly associated with depression.ConclusionDuring COVID-19 pandemic, 19.5% of Thai male seafarers had depressive symptoms. Personal and working factors including subjective sleep problems, poor coping behaviors, job assignment, performing inadequate occupational safety behaviors and performing repetitive tasks were risk factors of depressive symptoms among Thai male seafarers. Monitoring work environment rigorously and coping with work-related stress of the occupational safety behaviors program should be suggested.

The impact of loneliness and social adaptation on depressive symptoms: Behavioral and brain measures evidence from a brain health perspective.

Early detection of depression is a cost-effective way to prevent adverse outcomes on brain physiology, cognition, and health. Here we propose that loneliness and social adaptation are key factors that can anticipate depressive symptoms. We analyzed data from two separate samples to evaluate the associations between loneliness, social adaptation, depressive symptoms, and their neural correlates. For both samples, hierarchical regression models on self-reported data showed that loneliness and social adaptation have negative and positive effects on depressive symptoms. Moreover, social adaptation reduces the impact of loneliness on depressive symptoms. Structural connectivity analysis showed that depressive symptoms, loneliness, and social adaptation share a common neural substrate. Furthermore, functional connectivity analysis demonstrated that only social adaptation was associated with connectivity in parietal areas. Altogether, our results suggest that loneliness is a strong risk factor for depressive symptoms while social adaptation acts as a buffer against the ill effects of loneliness. At the neuroanatomical level, loneliness and depression may affect the integrity of white matter structures known to be associated to emotion dysregulation and cognitive impairment. On the other hand, socio-adaptive processes may protect against the harmful effects of loneliness and depression. Structural and functional correlates of social adaptation could indicate a protective role through long and short-term effects, respectively. These findings may aid approaches to preserve brain health via social participation and adaptive social behavior.

Characterization of Depressive Symptoms in Dementia and Examination of Possible Risk Factors.

Depression in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD) is common, distressing, difficult to treat, and inadequately understood. It occurs more frequently in AD than in older adults without dementia. The reasons why some patients develop depression during AD and others do not remain obscure. We aimed to characterize depression in AD and to identify risk factors. We used data from three large dementia focused cohorts: ADNI (n = 665 with AD, 669 normal cognition), NACC (n = 698 with AD, 711 normal cognition), and BDR (n = 757 with AD). Depression ratings were available using the GDS and NPI and in addition for BDR the Cornell. A cut-off of≥8 was used for the GDS and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia,≥6 for the NPI depression sub-scale, and≥2 for the NPI-Q depression sub-scale. We used logistic regression to examine potential risk factors and random effects meta-analysis and an interaction term to look for interactions between each risk factor and the presence of cognitive impairment. In individual studies there was no evidence of a difference in risk factors for depressive symptoms in AD. In the meta-analysis the only risk factor which increased the risk of depressive symptoms in AD was previous depression, but information on this was only available from one study (OR 7.78 95% CI 4.03-15.03). Risk factors for depression in AD appear to differ to those for depression per se supporting suggestions of a different pathological process, although a past history of depression was the strongest individual risk factor.

The prevalence and risk factors for anxiety and depression symptoms among migrants in Morocco

Humanitarian migration can result in mental health issues among migrants. The objective of our study is to determine the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms among migrants and their risk factors. A total of 445 humanitarian migrants in the Orientale region were interviewed. A structured questionnaire was used in face-to-face interviews to collect socio-demographic, migratory, behavioral, clinical, and paraclinical data. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale was used to assess anxiety and depression symptoms. Risk factors for anxiety and depression symptoms were identified using multivariable logistic regression. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms was 39.1%, and the prevalence of depression symptoms was 40.0%. Diabetes, refugee status, overcrowding in the home, stress, age between 18 and 20 years, and low monthly income were associated with anxiety symptom. The associated risk factors for depression symptoms were a lack of social support and a low monthly income. Humanitarian migrants have a high prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms. Public policies should address socio-ecological determinants by providing migrants with social support and adequate living conditions.

Development of depression in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 infection

IntroductionCoronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has caused a great psychological impact all over the world. With this research, we want to discover the incidence and associated risk factors for depressive symptoms among hospitalized patients. The objective is to investigate patients with criteria of a severe clinical picture and expressed systemic inflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus infection and if they develop mental disorders- depression, measured by Depression, anxiety and stress scale- DASS-21 scale. With this research, we also calculate the index of the immune-inflammatory response SII and test the hypothesis that people with higher SII will develop mental disorders more often. Demographic variables, comorbidities, COVID-19 severity criteria, and the intensity of the organism’s inflammatory response have also been examined. Psychiatric questionnaires were for the first time applied directly to patients with coronavirus infection during hospitalization.ObjectivesTo identify possible risk factors for depression and to investigate the association between disease severity and the occurrence of psychopathology among COVID-19 hospitalized patients.MethodsThe subjects are patients suffering from COVID-19, older than 18 years who were hospitalized in the respiratory center KB Dubrava. After an interview and informed consent, demographic data was taken and two psychological questionnaires had been applied. Variables: patient characteristics -demographic data, experience of vulnerability, information on whether they have been previously treated psychiatrically, symptoms of anxiety, depression, stress, somatic comorbidities Intensity of systemic inflammation Severity of COVID-19.ResultsA total of 169 patients hospitalized were analyzed. The median age of the patients was 65. There were (62.1%) men and (37.9%) women. On admission, most patients had a severe (134, 79.3%) or critical (17, 10.1%) form of COVID-19. The median Charlson comorbidity index was 3 points. Arterial hypertension was present in 101 (59.8%), diabetes mellitus 42 (24.9%), hyperlipoproteinemia 30 (17.8%), obesity 61 (36.1%), malignant disease 17 (10.1%) patients. 11 (6.5%) smoked and 7 (4.1%) patients consumed alcohol. The median CRPa was 72.75 mg /L. Median SII was 1741. During hospitalization, the median DASS21 score for depression was 14, for anxiety 8, and for stress 6. Regarding depression, it was absent in 49 (29%), mild in 27 (16%), moderate in 47 (27.8%), severe in 18 (10.7%) and extremely severe in 28 (16.6%) patients during hospitalization.ConclusionsPatients with symptoms of depression during hospitalization felt statistically significantly more likely to be in danger of life due to COVID-19, had a more pronounced intensity of symptoms of COVID-19 upon admission. Additionally, patients with higher DASS 21 scores for depression were significantly more likely to be female, had COPD and required oxygen supplementation at higher flows.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Prevalence of Depression in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes between 10 and 17 Years of Age in Jordan.

The study was conducted by distributing the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale for Children (CES-DC) to adolescents with T1D seen at Jordan University Hospital between February 2019 and February 2020. Demographic, clinical, and socioeconomic data were collected using electronic clinical charts. Possible predictors of depression were assessed using logistic regression analysis. A total of 108 children were enrolled in the study with mean age of 13.7 ± 2.3 years. Fifty-eight children (53.7%) had a CES depression score less than 15, and 50 children (46.3%) had a depression score of 15 or more. The number of diabetes-related hospital admissions and the frequency of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) were significantly different between the two groups. In the multivariable analysis, both gender and SMBG frequency were statistically significant. Girls were more likely to have a depression score ≥ 15 (OR = 3.41, p = 0.025) than boys. Patients who were rarely testing blood glucose levels were more likely to have a depression score ≥ 15 compared to those who were testing regularly (OR = 36.57, p = 0.002). The prevalence of depressive symptoms is relatively high in adolescents with T1D, especially in those living in developing countries. Longer diabetes duration, higher glycated hemoglobin level, and less frequent blood glucose monitoring are associated with higher depression scores.