BACKGROUND: The influence of socio-economic conditions on covariates of depression has received little attention. AIMS: Examine whether prevalence and covariates of depressive symptoms are affected by socio-economic circumstances. METHODS: Participants were 1,499 (86%) residents in Bambuí city, Brazil, aged ->- 60 years. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the GHQ-12 questionnaire and exploratory variables included demographic characteristics, life events, social support, health conditions and health service use. The analysis was stratified by family income (<US$240.00 [lowest tertile] vs. ->- US$240.00). RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher in those with lower income (43.9%) in comparison with the better off (27.7%). Dissatisfaction with relationships, worse self-rated health and insomnia were independently associated with depressive symptoms in both income groups (OR from 2.00 to 4.74; p<0.05). Depressive symptoms were associated with number of chronic diseases, functional disability and hospitalizations among the poorer (OR from 1.73 to 2.37; p<0.05), while old age (OR 2.08) and female gender (OR 2.03) were associated with depressive symptoms among the better off. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that the prevalence of depressive symptoms and their covariates are influenced by socio-economic conditions in a population with slight income differences.
BACKGROUND: The influence of socio-economic conditions on covariates of depression has received little attention. AIMS: Examine whether prevalence and covariates of depressive symptoms are affected by socio-economic circumstances. METHODS:Participants were 1,499 (86%) residents in Bambuí city, Brazil, aged ->- 60 years. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the GHQ-12 questionnaire and exploratory variables included demographic characteristics, life events, social support, health conditions and health service use. The analysis was stratified by family income (<US$240.00 [lowest tertile] vs. ->- US$240.00). RESULTS: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher in those with lower income (43.9%) in comparison with the better off (27.7%). Dissatisfaction with relationships, worse self-rated health and insomnia were independently associated with depressive symptoms in both income groups (OR from 2.00 to 4.74; p<0.05). Depressive symptoms were associated with number of chronic diseases, functional disability and hospitalizations among the poorer (OR from 1.73 to 2.37; p<0.05), while old age (OR 2.08) and female gender (OR 2.03) were associated with depressive symptoms among the better off. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that the prevalence of depressive symptoms and their covariates are influenced by socio-economic conditions in a population with slight income differences.
Authors: Ronald C Kessler; Howard G Birnbaum; Victoria Shahly; Evelyn Bromet; Irving Hwang; Katie A McLaughlin; Nancy Sampson; Laura Helena Andrade; Giovanni de Girolamo; Koen Demyttenaere; Josep Maria Haro; Aimee N Karam; Stanislav Kostyuchenko; Viviane Kovess; Carmen Lara; Daphna Levinson; Herbert Matschinger; Yoshibumi Nakane; Mark Oakley Browne; Johan Ormel; Jose Posada-Villa; Rajesh Sagar; Dan J Stein Journal: Depress Anxiety Date: 2010-04 Impact factor: 6.505
Authors: Gerda G Fillenbaum; Sergio L Blay; Carl F Pieper; Katherine E King; Sergio B Andreoli; Fábio L Gastal Journal: PLoS One Date: 2013-09-13 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: M Guerra; A M Prina; C P Ferri; D Acosta; S Gallardo; Y Huang; K S Jacob; I Z Jimenez-Velazquez; J J Llibre Rodriguez; Z Liu; A Salas; A L Sosa; J D Williams; R Uwakwe; M Prince Journal: J Affect Disord Date: 2015-10-23 Impact factor: 4.839