title: Sociodemographic Correlates of Unipolar and Bipolar Depression in North-East India: A Cross-sectional Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early diagnosis and management of depression is important for better therapeutic outcome. Strategies for distinguishing between unipolar and bipolar depression are yet to be defined, resulting improper management. This study aims at comparing the socio-demographic and other variables between patients with unipolar and bipolar depression, along with assessment of severity of depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care psychiatry hospital in North-East India. The study included total of 330 subjects selected through purposive sampling technique from outpatient department after obtaining due informed consent. Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.) version 6.0 and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were applied. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 was applied for analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bipolar group had onset of illness at significantly younger age with more chronicity (32.85 ± 11.084). Mean BDI score was significantly higher in the unipolar depressive group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Careful approach in eliciting symptom severity and associated socio demographic profiles in depressed patients may be helpful in early diagnosis of bipolar depression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Kamal Narayan
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Kalita
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Jyoti
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hazarika
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio Technology Research Project, Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Mohan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio Technology Research Project, Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Shilpi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saikia
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio Technology Research Project, Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patangia
authors.affiliation: Department of Bio Technology Research Project, Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Pranabjyoti
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hazarika
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Mental Health, Tezpur, Assam, India.
authors.forename: Anil Chandra
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Sarmah
keywords: Beck depression inventory; bipolar; depression; unipolar