title: Higher prevalence of major depressive symptoms in Brazilians aged 14 and older.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Depression is a highly prevalent condition and is considered a major public health issue. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms in the Brazilian population and establish their sociodemographic correlates.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2005 and April 2006. Data were collected in face-to-face interviews using a standardized questionnaire. The sample consisted of 3,007 interviews with individuals aged 14 years and older and followed a probabilistic design covering the Brazilian national territory. Depressive symptoms were assessed according to the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The observed prevalence of depressive symptoms was 28.3% (13% mild/moderate; 15.3% major/severe; p < 0.01). Increased depressive symptom rates were associated with being a female, being 45 years of age and older, having lower educational attainment, being single, having family income of up to 2.5 times minimum wage, and living in the northern region of Brazil (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of depressive symptoms in Brazil is high, with major depressive symptoms being the most frequent form of this symptomatology. Considering the biopsychosocial model of mental disorders, this survey points to the involvement of psychosocial factors in the prevalence of depressive symptoms in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil. casscoelho@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Cassiano L S
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: José Alexandre S
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Crippa
authors.forename: Jair L F
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Ilana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pinsky
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaleski
authors.forename: Raul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Caetano
authors.forename: Ronaldo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laranjeira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult