Citation

Ma X, Xiang YT, Cai ZJ, Li SR, Xiang YQ, Guo HL, Hou YZ, Li ZB, Li ZJ, Tao YF, Dang WM, Wu XM, Deng J, Wang CY, Lai KY, Ungvari GS. J. Affect. Disord. 2009; 115(3): 323-330.

Affiliation

Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2008.09.010

PMID

18937979

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the 12-month and lifetime prevalence of major depressive episode (MDE) and their socio-demographic correlates in both the urban and rural areas of Beijing, China. METHODS: A total of 4767 adults were randomly selected and interviewed in Beijing using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 1.0). Basic socio-demographic and clinical data were collected during the interviews. RESULTS: The overall 12-month prevalence of MDE was 3.2%; 2.8% and 3.8% for men and women, respectively. The overall lifetime prevalence of MDE was 5.3%; 4.4% and 6.3% for men and women, respectively. Being older than 25 years of age was independently associated with increased risk of MDE. Sixteen point three percent of the subjects with lifetime MDE attempted suicide while the rate of suicide attempts was only 0.2% in subjects without MDE. The percentage of subjects with MDE who received any type of treatment from medical practitioners was 33.1%; of them, only 5.4% sought help from mental health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: National epidemiologic surveys are needed to further explore the prevalence of MDE in China. The low percentage of subjects treated for MDE constitutes a major public health problem that should be urgently addressed.

Language: en