Prevalence, Work-Loss Days and Quality of Life of Community Dwelling Subjects with Depressive Symptoms.
10.3346/jkms.2013.28.2.280
- Author:
Jee Hoon SOHN
1
;
Seung Hee AHN
;
Su Jeong SEONG
;
Ji Min RYU
;
Maeng Je CHO
Author Information
1. Division of Public Medicine Health Service, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Depression;
Depressive Disorder, Major;
Prevalence;
Quality of Life;
Mental Health
- MeSH:
Adolescent;
Adult;
Analysis of Variance;
Depression/*diagnosis/epidemiology;
Female;
Humans;
Interviews as Topic;
Male;
Mental Health;
Middle Aged;
Prevalence;
*Quality of Life;
Young Adult
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science
2013;28(2):280-286
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
The nationwide prevalence of major depressive disorder in Korea is lower than most countries, despite the high suicide rate. To explain this unexpectedly low prevalence, we examined the functional disability and quality of life in community-dwelling subjects with significant depressive symptoms not diagnosable as depressive disorder. A total of 1,029 subjects, randomly chosen from catchment areas, were interviewed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, WHO Quality of Life scale, and the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule. Those with scores over 21 on the depression scale were interviewed by a psychiatrist for diagnostic confirmation. Among community-dwelling subjects, the 1-month prevalence of major depressive disorder was 2.2%, but the 1-month prevalence of depressive symptoms not diagnosable as depressive disorder was 14.1%. Depressive disorders were the cause of 24.7% of work loss days, while depressive symptoms not diagnosable as depressive disorder were the cause of 17.2% of work loss days. These findings support the dimensional or spectrum approach to depressive disorder in the community and might be the missing link between the apparent low prevalence of depressive disorder and high suicide rate in Korea.
