Prevalence of depressive manifestations and associated factors in adult women of the Chiloe Island

Abstract

The objective of this study is that of describing the instant prevalence rate of depressive symptoms in women of the Chiloe Island, its relation with anxiety type and somatoform symptomatology and disturbances, and to look into its association with a series of social factors. The study carried out is a cross-sectional survey with a probabilistic type populational sample consisting of 153 adult women, from 18 to 64 years of age, all of them Fonasa beneficiaries, who live on the Chiloe Island. The survey was carried out in the homes by previously trained technicians and health professionals. A precodified socioeconomic survey was used, and a scale to measure depressive, anxious or somatoform disturbances.

An instant prevalence of 5.9% ( IC95o/o between 2.2% and 9.6%) was found for depressive disorders, and of 20.3% ( IC95o/o between 13.9% and 27.2%) for subclinical manifestations. Also, a strong association was observed between depressive symptoms and those of an anxious type (r = 0.84) as also between the depressive symptoms and those of a somatoform type ( r = 0.67). Among the social factors studied, a statistically significant association was only found with the educational level: the women without clinical manifestations had a longer period of schooling than those presenting depressive symptoms (both subclinical or disturbances). Those women who were separated or widowed, those having a larger number of children, those living in urban areas and those who reported having a lover level of social participation, presented a higher number of depressive disorders, although this difference was not statistically significant. The populational prevalence of depressive disorders is similar to that found in other regions of the country. The populational prevalence of depressive symptoms of a subclinical type in women has not been previously studied in our environment, but the figure obtained is similar to that of studies carried out in the United States, and the possibility of developing preventive programs is being discussed. The close relationship found between depressive symptoms and those of an anxious and somatoform type has implications for clinical practice and for medical care programs. The relationship between low schooling and depressive symptoms is relevant to the development of social policies seeking to increase the schooling level among the young, as this would also have a positive and protecting effect on their mental health. The need for advancing in the elaboration of a multidimensional model for the explanation of these depressive symptoms is being discussed.