title: Utility of the concept of minor depressive disorder: evidence from a large rural community sample in a developing country setting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Evidence on the utility of the minor depressive disorder diagnostic construct in rural communities and developing countries is scarce.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the utility and validity of definitive minor depressive disorder in Ethiopia by determining its impact and sociodemographic correlates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Assessment of 68,378 adults, aged 15-49 years, living in a largely rural district in Ethiopia using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The lifetime prevalence of minor depressive disorder was 2.2% (95% CI=2.1%, 2.3%). Age, marital status, education and unemployment independently predicted minor depressive disorder. Over 80% of cases used health services, 55.1% experienced persistent thoughts of death and 14.6% attempted suicide.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings are based on lifetime estimates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Minor depressive disorder is an important public health problem in rural Ethiopia, as shown by the associated high health service use and risk behaviour. Sociodemographic correlates suggest aetiological continuity with major depression. Thus our findings extend the clinical and public health utility of this diagnostic construct to rural community and developing country settings.
authors: King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK. Abe.Wassie@iop.kcl.ac.uk
authors: Abebaw
authors: A
authors: Fekadu
authors: Atalay
authors: A
authors: Alem
authors: Girmay
authors: G
authors: Medhin
authors: Teshome
authors: T
authors: Shibre
authors: Anthony
authors: A
authors: Cleare
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Prince
authors: Derege
authors: D
authors: Kebede
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003710:Demography; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003906:Developing Countries; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D018450:Disease Progression; D005002:Ethiopia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*