title: Depressive symptoms in middle-aged men: results from a household survey in Hong Kong.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of depressive symptoms in middle-aged Chinese men aged 45-64.
  
  
  METHODS
  A community-based cross-sectional household survey was performed in Hong Kong. Demographic, lifestyle and medical information were obtained from a standardized questionnaire. Clinically relevant depressive symptoms were measured by the Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five hundred forty five men participated in this study (response rate: 72.4%); 18.1% suffered from clinically depressive symptoms. For psychosocial factors in bivariate analyses, being divorced/separated/widowed, living alone, having an education level of primary school or less, having a low income, unemployment and having experienced a significant life event over the past year were associated with an increased odds of having depressive symptoms. In multiple regression analysis, living alone, being unemployed and having experienced a negative life event such as having experienced serious financial trouble, having given up a hobby or activity that was important to subject and having been separated from a child, close friend or relative were associated with increased odds of having clinically relevant depressive symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although random sampling was performed, there might be a selection bias for men who were unemployed and at home at the time of the interview.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinically relevant depressive symptoms are an important public health problem in Chinese middle-aged men particularly those who are unemployed, have a negative life events and live alone. As middle-aged men are at high risk for suicide, public health intervention should be targeted at these men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 4/F, School of Public Health, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT. yeungshanwong@cuhk.edu.hk
authors.forename: Samuel Yeung Shan
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Dicken
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Ping Chung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003625:Data Collection; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014478:Unemployment / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data