Spiritual and religious beliefs as risk factors for the onset of major depression: an international cohort study

2013 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 2109-2120 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Leurent ◽  
I. Nazareth ◽  
J. Bellón-Saameño ◽  
M.-I. Geerlings ◽  
H. Maaroos ◽  
...  

BackgroundSeveral studies have reported weak associations between religious or spiritual belief and psychological health. However, most have been cross-sectional surveys in the USA, limiting inference about generalizability. An international longitudinal study of incidence of major depression gave us the opportunity to investigate this relationship further.MethodData were collected in a prospective cohort study of adult general practice attendees across seven countries. Participants were followed at 6 and 12 months. Spiritual and religious beliefs were assessed using a standardized questionnaire, and DSM-IV diagnosis of major depression was made using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Logistic regression was used to estimate incidence rates and odds ratios (ORs), after multiple imputation of missing data.ResultsThe analyses included 8318 attendees. Of participants reporting a spiritual understanding of life at baseline, 10.5% had an episode of depression in the following year compared to 10.3% of religious participants and 7.0% of the secular group (p < 0.001). However, the findings varied significantly across countries, with the difference being significant only in the UK, where spiritual participants were nearly three times more likely to experience an episode of depression than the secular group [OR 2.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.59–4.68]. The strength of belief also had an effect, with participants with strong belief having twice the risk of participants with weak belief. There was no evidence of religion acting as a buffer to prevent depression after a serious life event.ConclusionsThese results do not support the notion that religious and spiritual life views enhance psychological well-being.

2011 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 1175-1184 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Borges ◽  
R. Orozco ◽  
C. Rafful ◽  
E. Miller ◽  
J. Breslau

BackgroundSuicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the USA. Suicide rates vary across ethnic groups. Whether suicide behavior differs by ethnic groups in the USA in the same way as observed for suicide death is a matter of current discussion. The aim of this report was to compare the lifetime prevalence of suicide ideation and attempt among four main ethnic groups (Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites) in the USA.MethodSuicide ideation and attempts were assessed using the World Mental Health version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (WMH-CIDI). Discrete time survival analysis was used to examine risk for lifetime suicidality by ethnicity and immigration among 15 180 participants in the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiological Surveys (CPES), a group of cross-sectional surveys.ResultsSuicide ideation was most common among Non-Hispanic Whites (16.10%), least common among Asians (9.02%) and intermediate among Hispanics (11.35%) and Non-Hispanic Blacks (11.82%). Suicide attempts were equally common among Non-Hispanic Whites (4.69%), Hispanics (5.11%) and Non-Hispanic Blacks (4.15%) and less common among Asians (2.55%). These differences in the crude prevalence rates of suicide ideation decreased but persisted after control for psychiatric disorders, but disappeared for suicide attempt. Within ethnic groups, risk for suicidality was low among immigrants prior to migration compared to the US born, but equalized over time after migration.ConclusionsEthnic differences in suicidal behaviors are explained partly by differences in psychiatric disorders and low risk prior to arrival in the USA. These differences are likely to decrease as the US-born proportion of Hispanics and Asians increases.


2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott B Patten ◽  
Luanne M Metz ◽  
Marlene A Reimer

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the lifetime and point prevalence of major depression in a population-based Multiple Sclerosis (MS) clinic sample, and to describe associations between selected biopsychosocial variables and the prevalence of lifetime major depression in this sample. Subjects who had participated in an earlier study were re-contacted for additional data collection. Eighty-three per cent (n=136) of those eligible consented to participate. Each subject completed the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and an interviewer-administered questionnaire evaluating a series of biopsychosocial variables. The lifetime prevalence of major depression in this sample was 22.8%, somewhat lower than previous estimates in MS clinic populations. Women, those under 35, and those with a family history of major depression had a higher prevalence. Also, subject reporting high levels of stress and heavy ingestion of caffeine (>400 mg) had a higher prevalence of major depression. As this was a cross-sectional analysis, the direction of causal effect for the observed associations could not be determined. By identifying variables that are associated with lifetime major depression, these data generate hypotheses for future prospective studies. Such studies will be needed to further understand the etiology of depressive disorders in MS.


1998 ◽  
Vol 172 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dan G. Blazer ◽  
Ronald C. Kessler ◽  
Marvin S. Swartz

BackgroundPrevious estimates of the prevalence of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) in community samples have been in the range 2–10%, using methods not derived from DSM algorithms. We report the first community-based study to estimate major and minor depression with a seasonal pattern in a community-based sample using a diagnostic instrument derived from DSM–III–R.MethodA modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview was administered to 8098 subjects in the 48 coterminous states of the USA (the National Comorbidity Survey) to assess the prevalence of major and minor depression with a seasonal pattern.ResultsThe lifetime prevalence of major depression with a seasonal pattern was 0.4%, and the prevalence of major or minor depression with a seasonal pattern was 1.0%. Among respondents with major depression, male gender and older age were associated with a higher prevalence with a seasonal pattern.ConclusionsPrevalence estimates of major and minor depression with a seasonal pattern are much lower than those found in previous studies of SAD in the community probably due to the approach to diagnosis used in the present study which more accurately represents DSM–III–R criteria for major depression with a seasonal pattern. The distribution of the disorder is similar to that found in previous studies except for the higher prevalence among males.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (7) ◽  
pp. 1191-1196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerard J. Byrne ◽  
Sarah J. Steele ◽  
Nancy A. Pachana

ABSTRACTBackground:Little is known about the occurrence of psychotic or quasi-psychotic experiences in older people with anxiety disorders.Methods:We used a cross-sectional national probability sample of community-residing individuals to investigate the prevalence and correlates of delusion-like experiences in older people with DSM-IV anxiety disorders. The 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Well-being (NSMHWB) included 1,905 persons between the ages of 65 and 85 years. Anxiety disorder diagnoses were established using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI v3). Participants were asked about three types of delusion-like experiences: thought control or interference, special meaning, and special powers. We used multivariate logistic regression to examine the relationship between a 12-month history of any anxiety disorder and the presence of these delusion-like experiences, adjusting for several potential confounders.Results:Eighty-two of 1,905 (4.3%) older people met criteria for an anxiety disorder over the previous 12 months. Of these, six reported delusion-like experiences, whereas the prevalence of these experiences among older people without anxiety disorder was 26/1,822 (7.3% vs. 1.4%; χ2 = 16.5; p = 0.000). In a logistic regression model, male gender (OR 0.38; p = 0.019), separated marital status (OR 4.86; p = 0.017), and the presence of anxiety disorder (OR 5.33; p = 0.001) were independently associated with delusion-like experiences, whereas MMSE (Mini-Mental State Examination) score, general medical conditions and affective disorder were not.Conclusions:In this cross-sectional study, self-reported delusion-like experiences occurred at increased prevalence among community-residing older persons with anxiety disorder. More work is needed to clarify the nature and significance of these findings.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e044642
Author(s):  
Hoda Badr ◽  
Abiodun Oluyomi ◽  
Maral Adel Fahmideh ◽  
Syed Ahsan Raza ◽  
Xiaotao Zhang ◽  
...  

IntroductionAlthough social distancing may help contain the spread of COVID-19, the social isolation and loneliness it causes can heighten stress, contribute to unhealthy lifestyle behaviours and have deleterious effects on social relationships. This ongoing longitudinal cohort study aims to (1) characterise the psychological, social and health behavioural impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic over a 12-month period in the USA; (2) determine whether these impacts differ for certain subgroups based on sociodemographics and other individual-level factors; and (3) explore whether there are modifiable factors (eg, coping, social support) that moderate the effects of the pandemic over time.Methods and analysisAdults (aged ≥18 years) who were fluent in either English or Spanish were recruited via social media and invited to complete an online survey during the 8-week period from 13 April to 8 June 2020 (baseline). Follow-up surveys will be conducted 6 and 12 months after baseline. Data transformations, non-parametric tests or other alternative methods will be used when appropriate. Descriptive statistics and cross-sectional analyses will be performed. Longitudinal associations will be analysed using multilevel modelling with time-variant and time-invariant predictors of change in trajectory over the study period.Ethics and disseminationResearch ethics approval was received from the Baylor College of Medicine Institutional Review Board (H-47505). Overall, this study will provide timely information that can be used to inform public health messaging strategies and guide development of assessment tools and interventions to support vulnerable individuals dealing with the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Auditya Purwandini Sutarto ◽  
Shanti Wardaningsih ◽  
Wika Harisa Putri

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore to what extent employees' mental well-being affects their productivity while working from home (WFH) during the COVID-19 crisis and whether mental well-being and productivity differ across some socio-demographic factors.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study with online questionnaires was designed with 472 valid responses in Indonesia. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ) were administered. Non-parametric tests and structural equation modeling were employed to analyze the data.FindingsThe prevalence of depression was 18.4%, anxiety 46.4% and stress 13.1%, with relatively good productivity. Gender, age, education level, job experiences, marital status, number of children and nature of the organization were associated with the employees' psychological health but not with their productivity, while the workspace availability influenced both outcomes. The study path model showed the negative correlation between WFH employees' psychological well-being and productivity.Research limitations/implicationsThis study may contribute to the implication of current mandatory WFH on mental well-being and productivity. Further studies need to address the representativeness and generalizability issues as well as incorporating potential stressors.Practical implicationsOrganizations may adopt WFH as a future working arrangement and identify the individual and occupational characteristics that provide the most impacts on productivity. It is also necessary for them to develop proper strategies to mitigate the psychological risks and overcome the WFH challenges.Originality/valueThere is still a lack of studies investigating the relationship between simultaneous effects of WFH on psychological well-being and productivity, and how they affect some socio-demographic variables in the context of COVID-19.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 270-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaori Ishii ◽  
Ai Shibata ◽  
Minoru Adachi ◽  
Yoshiyuki Mano ◽  
Koichiro Oka

Background:Sedentary behaviors (SB) are associated with health indicators; however, there are currently very few studies that have examined these associations, especially in conjunction with psychological factors, in children. The current study examined the independent relationship between objectively assessed SB, and indicators of obesity and psychological well-being, among Japanese children.Methods:A total of 967 elementary-school children completed a cross-sectional survey. SB was measured with accelerometers for 7 consecutive days. Psychological well-being data (eg, anxiety and behavior problems) were collected via a self-report questionnaire. To determine the relationship of SB with degree of obesity and psychological well-being, linear regression analyses were conducted to relate the indicators of obesity and psychological well-being on SB, adjusted by gender, grade, percentage of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day, duration spent wearing the accelerometer, and degree of obesity.Results:SB was significantly related to behavioral/emotional problems (β = .280, P = .010, R2 = .015). There was a statistically significant relationship between SB and anxiety (β = .206, P = .059, R2 = .007). No significant association with degree of obesity was found.Conclusions:Excess SB relates higher levels of behavioral/emotional problems and anxiety. These results can inspire the development of interventions that promote well-being and enhance psychological health, by focusing on SB in Japanese children.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Annelieke M. Roest ◽  
Ymkje Anna de Vries ◽  
Ali Al-Hamzawi ◽  
Jordi Alonso ◽  
Olatunde O. Ayinde ◽  
...  

Abstract Aims Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterised by a recurrent course and high comorbidity rates. A lifespan perspective may therefore provide important information regarding health outcomes. The aim of the present study is to examine mental disorders that preceded 12-month MDD diagnosis and the impact of these disorders on depression outcomes. Methods Data came from 29 cross-sectional community epidemiological surveys of adults in 27 countries (n = 80 190). The Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) was used to assess 12-month MDD and lifetime DSM-IV disorders with onset prior to the respondent's age at interview. Disorders were grouped into depressive distress disorders, non-depressive distress disorders, fear disorders and externalising disorders. Depression outcomes included 12-month suicidality, days out of role and impairment in role functioning. Results Among respondents with 12-month MDD, 94.9% (s.e. = 0.4) had at least one prior disorder (including previous MDD), and 64.6% (s.e. = 0.9) had at least one prior, non-MDD disorder. Previous non-depressive distress, fear and externalising disorders, but not depressive distress disorders, predicted higher impairment (OR = 1.4–1.6) and suicidality (OR = 1.5–2.5), after adjustment for sociodemographic variables. Further adjustment for MDD characteristics weakened, but did not eliminate, these associations. Associations were largely driven by current comorbidities, but both remitted and current externalising disorders predicted suicidality among respondents with 12-month MDD. Conclusions These results illustrate the importance of careful psychiatric history taking regarding current anxiety disorders and lifetime externalising disorders in individuals with MDD.


2021 ◽  
pp. 002076402110454
Author(s):  
William Tamayo-Aguledo ◽  
Alida Acosta-Ortiz ◽  
Aseel Hamid ◽  
Carolina Gómez-García ◽  
María Camila García-Durán ◽  
...  

Background: The effect of the Colombian armed conflict on the mental health of adolescents is still poorly understood. Aims: Given social interventions are most likely to inform policy, we tested whether two potential intervention targets, family functioning and social capital, were associated with mental health in Colombian adolescents, and whether this was moderated by experience of violence and displacement. Methods: We examined the cross-sectional association between family functioning, cognitive social capital, structural social capital and 12-month prevalence of Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) diagnosed psychiatric disorder, using data on 12 to 17-year-old adolescents ( N = 1,754) from the 2015 National Mental Health Survey of Colombia, a nationally representative epidemiological study. We tested whether associations survived cumulative adjustment for demographic confounders, experience of non-specific violence and harm and displacement by armed conflict. Results: Neither structural nor cognitive social capital were associated with better mental health. Better family functioning was associated with reduced risk of poor mental health in an unadjusted analysis (OR 0.90 [0.85–0.96]), and after cumulative adjustments for demographic confounders (OR 0.91 [0.86–0.97]), non-specific violence and harm (OR 0.91 [0.86–0.97]) and social capital variables (OR 0.91 [0.85–0.97]). In the final model, each additional point on the family APGAR scale was associated with a 9% reduced odds of any CIDI diagnosed disorder in the last 12 months. Conclusions: Better family functioning was associated with better mental health outcomes for all adolescents. This effect remained present in those affected by the armed conflict even after accounting for potential confounders.


1998 ◽  
Vol 173 (S34) ◽  
pp. 18-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Weiller ◽  
J.-C. Bisserbe ◽  
W. Maier ◽  
Y. Lecrubier

Background This study explored the prevalence, socio-demographic characteristics and severity of different anxiety syndromes in five European primary care settings, as well as medical help-seeking, recognition by general practitioners (GPs) and treatment prescribed.Method The data were collected as part of the WHO study on Psychological Problems in General Health Care. Among 9714 consecutive primary care patients, 1973 were interviewed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Reason for contact, ICD–10 diagnoses, severity and disability were assessed. Recognition rates and treatment prescribed were obtained from the GPs.Results Anxiety syndromes, whether corresponding to well-defined disorders or to subthreshold conditions, are frequent in primary care and are associated with a clinically significant degree of severity and substantial psychosocial disability. Their recognition by GPs as well as the proportion treated are low.Conclusions Since people with subthreshold anxiety show a substantial degree of disability and suffering, GPs may consider diagnostic criteria to be insufficient. However, their awareness of specific definitions and treatment patterns for anxiety disorders still needs a lot of improvement both for patients' well-being and for the cost resulting from non-treatment.


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