Depression and health-related quality of life for low-income African-American women in the U.S.
The health-related quality of life (HRQL) impact of depression for low-income young African-American women has not been quantified. Baseline scores on a generic HRQL measure, the SF-36, from a randomized controlled trial of depression treatments were used as a basis for describing the HRQL of depressed (n = 124) and non-depressed (n = 44) low-income African-American young women. Results were compared to U.S. normative values for well adults and for depressed adults. Relationship between SF-36 scores and demographic variables were examined, and SF-36 scores were compared for those with depression only and those with comorbid anxiety. SF-36 scores were lower for all eight subscales relative to the U.S. norms (p < 0.05) and lower on two subscales relative to a general U.S. depressed sample (p < 0.05). Higher age and higher number of children was associated with poorer scores. Comorbid anxiety was present in 66% of the depressed sample; all SF-36 scores for the sample with comorbid anxiety were significantly lower than scores for subjects with depression alone. Results indicate the substantial HRQL impact of depression among low-income young African-American women with depression.
Frank
Lori B
LB
Center for Health Outcomes Research, The MEDTAP Institute at UBC, 7101 Bethesda, MD, USA. lori.frank@unitedbiosource.com
Matza
Louis S
LS
Revicki
Dennis A
DA
Chung
Joyce Y
JY
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D003863:Depression; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D011203:Poverty; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States