title: Depression, anxiety and stress in primary health care users.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Describe levels of depression, anxiety and stress among users of an urban/rural health centre, analyse sex differences and comorbidity between depression, anxiety and stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive co-relational study with a Portuguese version of DASS-21; consecutive sample (n=343).
  
  
  RESULTS
  40.52%, 43.48% and 45.06% of individuals present some degree of depression, anxiety and of stress, respectively. Severe or very severe levels of disturbance were found in 20.87% (anxiety), 22.38% (stress) and 12.24% (depression) of individuals. Women present higher levels of depression, anxiety and stress. Depression, Anxiety and Stress are strongly and positively associated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results show high point prevalence--higher than in other countries--and reveal differences in sex as well as comorbidity. They may allow for the development of a local and community intervention strategy for mental health promotion and disease prevention, particularly for women.
authors.affiliation: Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra, Portugal. apostolo@esenfc.pt
authors.forename: João Luís Alves
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Apóstolo
authors.forename: Maria Henriqueta
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Aida Cruz
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Manuel Alves
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult