title: The indirect economic impacts of co-morbidities on people with depression.
abstract: It is known that people with depression often have other co-morbid conditions; however this is rarely acknowledged in studies that access the economic impacts of depression. This paper aims to quantify the association between co-morbid health conditions and labour force status and economic circumstances of people with depression. This study undertakes cross-sectional analysis using a dataset that is representative of the 45-64 year old Australian population with depression. The probability of being out of the labour force increases with increasing number of co-morbidities, and the amount of weekly income received by people with depression decreased with increasing numbers of co-morbidities. Those with depression and three or more co-morbidities were 4.31 times more likely to be out of the labour force (95% CI: 1.74-10.68), and received a weekly private income 88% lower (95% CI: -94%, -75%) than people with depression alone. It is important to consider the co-morbid conditions an individual has when assessing the impact of depression on labour force participation and economic circumstances.
authors.affiliation: NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.forename: Emily J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Callander
authors.forename: Rupendra N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.forename: Megan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Passey
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Percival
authors.forename: Simon J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D004651:Employment / Q000191:economics* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged