OBJECTIVES: Little is known about changes in depression and quality of life in East Germany. We examined changes in the prevalence of lifetime and current depressive symptoms and mental health-related quality of life among adults in northeast Germany between 1997-2001 and 2008-2012. METHODS: Population-based data were drawn from two repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted 11 years apart within the Study of Health of Pomerania project (Ns of 4,228 and 4,251). Assessments included screening items for lifetime depressive symptoms from the Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI), the Depression and Exhaustion Scale (DEEX), and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). RESULTS: Lifetime depressive symptoms rose from 13.2 to 27.8%. The increase was stronger in men than in women and in individuals aged 35-64 years. No substantial changes occurred in the overall prevalence of current depressive symptoms (DEEX) and mental health-related quality of life (SF-12). A small decrease in current depressive symptoms was observed in middle-aged men and older women and small improvements in mental health-related quality of life in young adults. CONCLUSIONS: Higher reporting of lifetime depressive symptoms might reflect methodological influences as well as lower stigmatization and higher awareness, while the current burden seems similar.
OBJECTIVES: Little is known about changes in depression and quality of life in East Germany. We examined changes in the prevalence of lifetime and current depressive symptoms and mental health-related quality of life among adults in northeast Germany between 1997-2001 and 2008-2012. METHODS: Population-based data were drawn from two repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted 11 years apart within the Study of Health of Pomerania project (Ns of 4,228 and 4,251). Assessments included screening items for lifetime depressive symptoms from the Munich Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI), the Depression and Exhaustion Scale (DEEX), and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-12). RESULTS: Lifetime depressive symptoms rose from 13.2 to 27.8%. The increase was stronger in men than in women and in individuals aged 35-64 years. No substantial changes occurred in the overall prevalence of current depressive symptoms (DEEX) and mental health-related quality of life (SF-12). A small decrease in current depressive symptoms was observed in middle-aged men and older women and small improvements in mental health-related quality of life in young adults. CONCLUSIONS: Higher reporting of lifetime depressive symptoms might reflect methodological influences as well as lower stigmatization and higher awareness, while the current burden seems similar.
Authors: Henry Völzke; Dietrich Alte; Carsten Oliver Schmidt; Dörte Radke; Roberto Lorbeer; Nele Friedrich; Nicole Aumann; Katharina Lau; Michael Piontek; Gabriele Born; Christoph Havemann; Till Ittermann; Sabine Schipf; Robin Haring; Sebastian E Baumeister; Henri Wallaschofski; Matthias Nauck; Stephanie Frick; Andreas Arnold; Michael Jünger; Julia Mayerle; Matthias Kraft; Markus M Lerch; Marcus Dörr; Thorsten Reffelmann; Klaus Empen; Stephan B Felix; Anne Obst; Beate Koch; Sven Gläser; Ralf Ewert; Ingo Fietze; Thomas Penzel; Martina Dören; Wolfgang Rathmann; Johannes Haerting; Mario Hannemann; Jürgen Röpcke; Ulf Schminke; Clemens Jürgens; Frank Tost; Rainer Rettig; Jan A Kors; Saskia Ungerer; Katrin Hegenscheid; Jens-Peter Kühn; Julia Kühn; Norbert Hosten; Ralf Puls; Jörg Henke; Oliver Gloger; Alexander Teumer; Georg Homuth; Uwe Völker; Christian Schwahn; Birte Holtfreter; Ines Polzer; Thomas Kohlmann; Hans J Grabe; Dieter Rosskopf; Heyo K Kroemer; Thomas Kocher; Reiner Biffar; Ulrich John; Wolfgang Hoffmann Journal: Int J Epidemiol Date: 2010-02-18 Impact factor: 7.196
Authors: A J Baxter; A J Ferrari; H E Erskine; F J Charlson; L Degenhardt; H A Whiteford Journal: Epidemiol Psychiatr Sci Date: 2014-04-23 Impact factor: 6.892
Authors: David Villarreal-Zegarra; Milagros Cabrera-Alva; Rodrigo M Carrillo-Larco; Antonio Bernabe-Ortiz Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2020-07-19 Impact factor: 2.692
Authors: Daniëlle Otten; Ana N Tibubos; Georg Schomerus; Elmar Brähler; Harald Binder; Johannes Kruse; Karl-Heinz Ladwig; Philipp S Wild; Hans J Grabe; Manfred E Beutel Journal: Front Public Health Date: 2021-02-05