title: Mental well-being in 5000 women participating in the 'Women-Plus' preventive medicine program.
abstract: In the present study, we report on an additive evaluation of mental well-being in an established program of preventive medicine including general and gynecologic examination, and screening mammography. An easy-to-use questionnaire including 19 questions was completed by 5247 women. Answers were grouped into mental well-being, zest for living, sexuality, and self-assessment of psychic disorders. A risk score for the presence of major depression was calculated. Women with high and intermediate risk for major depression were found in 5.0-7.2% and 15.4-19.8% depending on age, respectively. Seven to 9.2% and 19.2-26.5% of women suspected themselves to be at a high and intermediate risk for psychic disorders, respectively. Deterioration of well-being as well as the risk of developing depression is mostly overlooked in a general preventive medicine setting. We conclude that problems involving mental well-being seem to affect a significant number of women. The incorporation of easy-to-use questionnaires able to screen for mental problems to general preventive medicine programs must be strongly recommended.
authors.affiliation: Preventive and Social Medicine Study Group (aks), Bregenz, Austria. hans.concin@lkhb.at
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Concin
authors.forename: Hanno
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ulmer
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hefler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D008593:Menopause / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011314:Preventive Health Services; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016387:Women's Health