Life satisfaction and depression in a 15-year follow-up of healthy adults.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between life satisfaction and depressive symptoms in healthy adults.


METHODS
This is a 15-year prospective cohort study with a nationwide sample of healthy Finnish adults (N = 9679), aged 18-45, who responded to postal questionnaires in 1975, 1981 and 1990 including a 4-item life satisfaction (LS) scale (range 4-20) and, in 1990, the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI).


RESULTS
A strong linear association was found between concurrent LS and BDI scales (r = 0.6). With an LS cut-off point of 11/12, moderate/severe depression (BDI > or = 19) was detected with 87% sensitivity, 88 % specificity and a 94% area under the ROC curve. Longitudinally, a strongly increased risk of moderate/severe depression in 1990 was observed among the dissatisfied (LS 12-20) compared with the satisfied (LS 4-6) in 1975 (OR = 6.7; 95 %CI 4.2-10.9) and in 1981 (OR = 10.4; 6.1-17.6).


CONCLUSIONS
The 4-item LS scale can identify a group of healthy people from the general population with a high risk of having or developing depressive symptoms. Since low life satisfaction also indicates an elevated risk of other adverse health outcomes, the assessment of subjective well-being should be encouraged both in surveys and in clinical practice.
Koivumaa-Honkanen
Heli
H
Dept. of Psychiatry/2700, Kuopio University Hospital, P. O. B. 1777, 70211 Kuopio, Finland. heli.koivumaa@kuh.fi
Kaprio
Jaakko
J
Honkanen
Risto
R
Viinamäki
Heimo
H
Koskenvuo
Markku
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D004200:Diseases in Twins / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012307:Risk Factors