Correlates of depression in a representative nationwide sample of adolescents (15-19 years) and young adults (20-24 years).
BACKGROUND
The authors investigated correlates of depression in a general population sample of adolescents (15-19 years) and young adults (20-24 years).


METHODS
As part of the Finnish Health Care Survey a random sample of 509 adolescents (281 females, 228 males) and 433 young adults (224 females, 209 males) was interviewed in 1996. DSM-IIR major depressive episode (MDE) was assessed by the University of Michigan Composite International Diagnostic Interview Short Form (UM-CIDI SF).


RESULTS
In multivariable regression analysis, current smoking (odds ratio (OR) 5.54; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.44, 21.3) and chronic illness (OR 3.77; 95% CI: 1.04, 13.7) associated with MDE among adolescents. Among young adults, drunkenness at least twice a month (OR 4.48; 95% CI: 1.44, 14.0) or once a month (OR 2.79; 95% CI: 1.14, 6.83), not being married nor cohabiting (OR 3.50; 95% CI: 1.35, 9.08) and infrequent physical exercise (OR 4.01; 95% CI: 1.18, 14.0) were related to MDE. Female MDE associated with not being married nor cohabiting (OR 3.56; 95% CI: 1.23, 10.1) and living in southern Finland (OR 2.30; 95% CI: 1.06, 5.02). Drunkenness at least twice a month was related to MDE among males (OR 4.54; 95% CI: 1.27, 16.3).


CONCLUSIONS
Attention should be paid to compromised health and health-related behaviour associating with MDE in youth. Specifically, the association between smoking and major depression in early adolescence should be borne in mind, and drinking habits or frequency of drunkenness should be carefully noted.
Haarasilta
Linnea M
LM
National Public Health Institute, Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, Helsinki, Finland. linnea.haarasilta@ktl.fi
Marttunen
Mauri J
MJ
Kaprio
Jaakko A
JA
Aro
Hillevi M
HM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D000465:Algorithms; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D017533:Marital Status; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects