Depressive symptoms in urban population samples in Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic.
BACKGROUND
Relatively little is known about depression in countries that were formerly part of the Soviet Union, especially Russia.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the rates and distribution of depressive symptoms in urban population samples in Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was conducted in randomly selected men and women aged 45-64 years (n=2151 in total, response rate 69%) in Novosibirsk (Russia), Krakow (Poland) and Karvina (Czech Republic). The point prevalence of depressive symptoms in the past week was defined as a score of at least 16 on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale.


RESULTS
In men the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 23% in Russia, 21% in Poland and 19% in the Czech Republic; in women the rates were 44%, 40% and 34% respectively. Depressive symptoms were positively associated with material deprivation, being unmarried and binge drinking. The association between education and depression was inverse in Poland and the Czech Republic but positive in Russia.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of depressive symptoms in these eastern European urban populations was relatively high; as in other countries, it was associated with alcohol and several sociodemographic factors.
International Centre for Health and Society, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT, UK. m.bobak@ucl.ac.uk
Martin
M
Bobak
Hynek
H
Pikhart
Andrzej
A
Pajak
Ruzena
R
Kubinova
Sofia
S
Malyutina
Helen
H
Sebakova
Roman
R
Topor-Madry
Yuri
Y
Nikitin
Michael
M
Marmot
D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012426:Russia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data