Prevalence of Various Depressive Symptoms in a Sample of the General Population

Abstract

Data on prevalence of and demographics associated with various symptoms of depression are reported for a sample of the general population. Of the nine symptoms assessed, the most frequently occurring were dysphoric mood (17.8%), increased sleep (15%), and loss of interest in other people or activities previously enjoyed (11.8%). 39% of subjects reported one or more symptoms of depression. 8% of subjects reported wondering if life is worth living, a symptom that in and of itself is suggestive of clinically significant depression. The number of depressive symptoms reported was related to income, education, age, and residence (city versus county), but not to sex. The findings provide evidence that various symptoms of depression may be more common in the general population than previously suspected.

The Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Association Between Perceived Neighborhood Walkability Characteristics and Depressive Symptoms in Older Latinos

“…Epidemiologic evidence estimates the prevalence of elevated depressive symptoms in community-dwelling older adults to range from 9.9% to 40.3% (Henderson & Pollard, 1992; Saks, Tiit, Kaarik, & Jaanson, 2002; Stallones, Marx, & Garrity, 1990). Although only slightly higher rates of elevated depressive symptoms are reported for community-dwelling older Latino adults when compared to their non-Latino white counterparts, there are evident racial/ethnic disparities in acquisition of mental health services that are hypothesized to be a consequence of inadequate healthcare access and culturally entrenched barriers (e.g., mental illness-related stigma) (Blanco et al, 2007; Cook, McGuire, & Miranda, 2007; Jimenez, Cook, Bartels, & Alegria, 2013; Le Cook, McGuire, Lock, & Zaslavsky, 2010; Uebelacker et al, 2012).…”

School Performance in Childhood and Adolescence as a Predictor of Depressive Symptoms in Adulthood

“…Self-rated depressive symptoms are even more common than clinically diagnosed depression (e.g. Henderson and Pollard, 1992), and are suggested to exist along the same continuum, thus sharing both manifest and latent symptomatic similarities (Lewinsohn et al, 2000;Solomon et al, 2001). Moreover, evidence exists that sub-clinical levels of depressive symptomatology are associated with a broad spectrum of psychosocial impairments (e.g.…”

Depression in Post Menopausal Women

“…Nervousness and anxiety are the main part of this depression and it has some psychological symptoms that are hypochondria, unrealism, and delusion. These affective disorders can lead them to feel meaningless about both present and future life; hence they may decide to commit suicide (Holland, Detels, Knox, Fitxsimons, & Gardner, 1991;Henderson, & Pollard, 1992;Choi et al, 1999). Therefore, it is necessary to develop the nursing intervention to decrease the postmenopausal women's depression.…”