title: Factors associated with self-reported depression and self-esteem among school-going adolescents from a geographically defined region in Ireland.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent reviews indicate that mental health problems in the young are increasing.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To measure the prevalence of, and risk factors associated with, depression and low self-esteem among Irish post-primary students.
  
  
  METHODS
  1,428 students, randomly selected from a sample of post-primary schools, were given an anonymised questionnaire. Analyses included bivariate and multivariate logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Questionnaires were completed by 992 (69.9%) respondents. 206 (20.8%) had a high depression score. Being from a single parent family (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.5-5.4, p<0.001); having low self esteem (OR 13.44 95% CI 8.9-20.3, p<0.001); being female (OR, 3.7, 95% CI 2.5-5.6 p<0.001) and having a low fitness level (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.2-2.8 p<0.006) were independently associated with a high depression score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The level of self-reported depression was high among these respondents and risk factors identified include having low self-esteem, being female, being from a single parent family and having a low fitness level.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Public Health, Health Service Executive-North Eastern Area, Railway Street, Navan, Co. Meath. ann.ofarrell@maile.hse.ie
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Farrell
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Flanagan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bedford
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Howell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010358:Patient Participation; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires