Mental distress during winter. An epidemiologic study of 7759 adults north of Arctic Circle.
The prevalence of mental distress in a general population north of the Arctic Circle at 69 degrees N was studied over 4 midwinter months. Within the framework of a health survey for coronary heart disease, 3 questions about depression, coping problems and insomnia were posed. They were answered by 7759 people randomly assigned to a survey date from November to February. The extreme lack of daylight in December and January taken into consideration, the prevalence of mental distress found, 14% in men and 19% in women, is remarkably low compared with previous epidemiologic research. Except for insomnia in women, which was most prevalent in December, no significant relationship between month of survey and any of the 3 symptoms were found. Thus, the findings cast some doubt upon the importance of daylight for mental distress in the general population.
Hansen
V
V
Institute of Community Medicine, University of Tromsø, Norway.
Jacobsen
B K
BK
Husby
R
R
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001110:Arctic Regions / Q000453:epidemiology; D003081:Cold Climate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D016574:Seasonal Affective Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology