title: Prevalence of depression in a 55-year-old Finnish population.
abstract: The prevalence of depression, measured as high rates of depressive symptoms (Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale), was studied in a 55-year-old Finnish population consisting of all persons born in 1935 and living in the city of Oulu on 1 October 1990, who were alive at the beginning of the study (n = 1008). Of these, 345 men (76%) and 435 women (79%) participated in the examinations. The prevalence of depression was 6.8% in men and 12.1% in women. The group of depressed women consisted of persons who were divorced or widowed, less educated and without work. Among the men, depression was not associated with withdrawal, but with a sedentary lifestyle and the occurrence of two life events during the previous 5 years. Differences in the social roles of the sexes may explain these results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, Finland.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Rajala
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uusimäki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kivelä
mesh_terms: D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D004651:Employment; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires