BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in The Netherlands. METHODS: The subjects (n = 5356), randomly selected from community registers, were given the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale over a period of 13 months. The response rate was 52.6%. RESULTS: Three percent of the respondents met the criteria for winter SAD, 0.1% for summer SAD. The criteria for subsyndromal SAD, a milder form of SAD, were met by 8.5%, 0.3% of whom showed a summer pattern. Younger women received a diagnosis of SAD more often than men or older women. CONCLUSIONS: SAD subjects were significantly more often unemployed or on sick leave than other subjects. Respondents who met winter SAD criteria were significantly more depressed than healthy subjects, in both winter and summer. Finally, month of completion had no influence on the number of subjects meeting the SAD criteria.
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in The Netherlands. METHODS: The subjects (n = 5356), randomly selected from community registers, were given the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire and the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale over a period of 13 months. The response rate was 52.6%. RESULTS: Three percent of the respondents met the criteria for winter SAD, 0.1% for summer SAD. The criteria for subsyndromal SAD, a milder form of SAD, were met by 8.5%, 0.3% of whom showed a summer pattern. Younger women received a diagnosis of SAD more often than men or older women. CONCLUSIONS:SAD subjects were significantly more often unemployed or on sick leave than other subjects. Respondents who met winter SAD criteria were significantly more depressed than healthy subjects, in both winter and summer. Finally, month of completion had no influence on the number of subjects meeting the SAD criteria.
Authors: Bryan S Cobb; William H Coryell; Joseph Cavanaugh; Martin Keller; David A Solomon; Jean Endicott; James B Potash; Jess G Fiedorowicz Journal: Compr Psychiatry Date: 2014-08-04 Impact factor: 3.735
Authors: Eve Reynaud; Fabrice Berna; Emmanuel Haffen; Luisa Weiner; Julia Maruani; Michel Lejoyeux; Carmen M Schroder; Patrice Bourgin; Pierre A Geoffroy Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2021-04-27 Impact factor: 4.241
Authors: Wim H Winthorst; Wendy J Post; Ybe Meesters; Brenda W H J Penninx; Willem A Nolen Journal: BMC Psychiatry Date: 2011-12-19 Impact factor: 3.630