Recovery from depression: a two-year follow-up study of general population subjects.
BACKGROUND
The recovery from depression and factors associated with it are not well known in the general population.


OBJECTIVE
To conduct a two-year follow-up of general population subjects and investigate their recovery from depression.


METHODS
Individuals who were assessed as suffering from depression on the basis of Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores were monitored for two years.


RESULTS
Sixty-five per cent were still depressed after two years of follow-up. Negative life events had occurred more often in those who had remained depressed than in the others. Logistic regression analysis revealed that a high initial BDI score and a worsening of a subject's economic situation during the follow-up period were associated with failure to recover. Lack of use of health services was associated with non-recovery.


CONCLUSIONS
Depression may be more chronic in the general population than previously has been thought.
Viinamäki
Heimo
H
Kuopio University Hospital and University of Kuopio, Department of Psychiatry, Finland. heimo.viinamaki@kuh.fi
Tanskanen
Antti
A
Honkalampi
Kirsi
K
Koivumaa-Honkanen
Heli
H
Antikainen
Risto
R
Haatainen
Kaisa
K
Hintikka
Jukka
J
D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology