AIMS: In a population of middle-aged women a survey was carried out to ascertain the prevalence of mental symptoms and psychotropic drug use, and further to investigate whether severe mental symptoms are associated with social situation, alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical health. METHODS: All women (n = 10,766) aged 50-59 years and living in the Lund area were invited to the WHILA study, a health survey including laboratory examinations and a self-administered questionnaire; 6,917 (64.2%) participated. This study is based on the questionnaire only. RESULTS: During the past three months 25.4% (n = 1,709) had been troubled by none or 1 mental symptom (labelled "absent/slight"), 52.8% (n = 3,555) by 2-6 mental symptoms ("moderate") and 21.8% (n = 1,471) by 7-10 mental symptoms ("severe"). Among women with severe mental symptoms 15.4% regularly used psychotropic drugs, mainly antidepressants. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that women with severe mental symptoms had higher odds for living alone (OR 1.7; CI 1.3-2.2) or as single parents (OR 2.1; CI 1.2-3.6), being university-educated (OR 1.5; CI 1.1-2.0), being on long-term sick-leave (OR 8.8; CI 3.0-25.5), using hormone replacement therapy (OR 1.3; CI 1.1-1.6), and having severe physical symptoms (136.8; CI 89.2-209.7) compared with women with absent/slight mental symptoms. CONCLUSION: Mental symptoms were common among the participating women. The presence of severe mental symptoms was strongly associated with severe physical symptoms. Few women with severe mental symptoms used psychotropic drugs. Middle-aged women with severe mental symptoms need to be identified and provided with appropriate psychopharmacological, hormonal, and/or psychosocial treatment.
AIMS: In a population of middle-aged women a survey was carried out to ascertain the prevalence of mental symptoms and psychotropic drug use, and further to investigate whether severe mental symptoms are associated with social situation, alcohol consumption, smoking, and physical health. METHODS: All women (n = 10,766) aged 50-59 years and living in the Lund area were invited to the WHILA study, a health survey including laboratory examinations and a self-administered questionnaire; 6,917 (64.2%) participated. This study is based on the questionnaire only. RESULTS: During the past three months 25.4% (n = 1,709) had been troubled by none or 1 mental symptom (labelled "absent/slight"), 52.8% (n = 3,555) by 2-6 mental symptoms ("moderate") and 21.8% (n = 1,471) by 7-10 mental symptoms ("severe"). Among women with severe mental symptoms 15.4% regularly used psychotropic drugs, mainly antidepressants. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that women with severe mental symptoms had higher odds for living alone (OR 1.7; CI 1.3-2.2) or as single parents (OR 2.1; CI 1.2-3.6), being university-educated (OR 1.5; CI 1.1-2.0), being on long-term sick-leave (OR 8.8; CI 3.0-25.5), using hormone replacement therapy (OR 1.3; CI 1.1-1.6), and having severe physical symptoms (136.8; CI 89.2-209.7) compared with women with absent/slight mental symptoms. CONCLUSION: Mental symptoms were common among the participating women. The presence of severe mental symptoms was strongly associated with severe physical symptoms. Few women with severe mental symptoms used psychotropic drugs. Middle-aged women with severe mental symptoms need to be identified and provided with appropriate psychopharmacological, hormonal, and/or psychosocial treatment.
Authors: Pilar Carrasco-Garrido; Valentín Hernández-Barrera; Isabel Jiménez-Trujillo; Jesús Esteban-Hernández; Alejandro Álvaro-Meca; Ana López-de Andrés; José Luis DelBarrio-Fernández; Rodrigo Jiménez-García Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2016-11-24 Impact factor: 3.390
Authors: Michèle Baumann; Elisabeth Spitz; Francis Guillemin; Jean-François Ravaud; Marie Choquet; Bruno Falissard; Nearkasen Chau Journal: Int J Health Geogr Date: 2007-11-09 Impact factor: 3.918