Factors associated with hopelessness: a population study.
BACKGROUND
Hopelessness is associated with depression and suicidality in clinical as well as in non-clinical populations. However, data on the prevalence of hopelessness and the associated factors in general population are exiguous.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence and the associated factors of hopelessness in a general population sample.


METHODS
The random population sample consisted of 1722 subjects. The study questionnaires included the Beck Hopelessness Scale (HS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) and Life Satisfaction Scale (LS).


RESULTS
Eleven percent of the subjects reported at least moderate hopelessness. A poor financial situation (OR 3.64), poor subjective health (OR 2.87) and reduced working ability (OR 2.67) independently associated with hopelessness. Moreover, the likelihood of moderate or severe hopelessness was significantly increased in subjects dissatisfied with life (OR 5.99), with depression (OR 4.86), with alexithymia (OR 2.37) and with suicidal ideation (OR 1.85).


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated a moderately high prevalence of hopelessness at the population level. Hopelessness appears to be an important indicator of low subjective well-being in the general population that health care personnel should pay attention to.
Department of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland. kaisa.haatainen@kuh.fi
Kaisa
K
Haatainen
Antti
A
Tanskanen
Jari
J
Kylmä
Kirsi
K
Honkalampi
Heli
H
Koivumaa-Honkanen
Jukka
J
Hintikka
Heimo
H
Viinamäki
D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires