Original scientific paper

PREVALENCE OF DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS AND ASSOCIATED SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE PATIENTS

Sanja Musić Milanović ; Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia, Croatian Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Katja Erjavec ; Clinical Hospital ''Sveti Duh'', Zagreb, Croatia
Tamara Poljičanin ; Croatian Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia
Božena Vrabec ; Health Centre Zagreb - Zapad, Zagreb, Croatia
Petrana Brečić ; Psychiatric Clinic ''Vrapče'', Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Background: Depression is a growing public health problem still under-recognised in primary care settings. By focusing
primarily on somatic complaints and diseases, general practitioners often fail to identify an underlying mental disorder. The aim of
this study was to assess the prevalence of patients with unrecognised depression symptoms in general practice and identify
associated socio-demographic factors.
Subjects and methods: The study included 769 patients without previous psychiatric disorder who attended their primary care
physicians in the Health Centre Zagreb - Zapad in January 2011. Data on patients’ age, sex, level of education, marital and
employment status were collected. All participants completed The Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale.
Results: Among the 25.5% of participants whose Zung score was outside the normal range, 19.38% were mildly, 4.64%
moderately, and 0.91% severely depressed. Statistically significant differences were observed among groups defined according to
level of education, employment and marital status (p<0.001). Lower Zung scores were found in individuals with a higher level of
education, who were unmarried, employed or still undergoing education. Multivariate logistic regression model revealed that older
age (p<0.001), unemployment (p=0.001) or unmarried status (p=0.025) were significant predictors of depression symptoms.
Conclusions: The study revealed a high prevalence of depression symptoms among primary care patients who had not been
previously suspected to have any psychiatric co-morbidity. Awareness of depression symptoms and disorders should be raised among
general practitioners, focusing on older, unemployed and unmarried people.

Keywords

depression - depression symptoms - primary care – prevalence - Zung scale - Croatia

Hrčak ID:

155886

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/155886

Publication date:

9.3.2015.

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