Citation

Glied SA, Pine DS. Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 2002; 156(10): 1009-1014.

Affiliation

Department of Health policy and Management, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, American Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

12361447

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the correlates and consequences of high levels of depressive symptoms among adolescents. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of the 1997 Commonwealth Fund Survey of the Health of Adolescent Girls, a survey of a nationally representative sample of 4648 adolescent boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 18 years, inclusive, conducted in school settings. The self-administered questionnaire contains a screening instrument for depression based on the Children's Depression Inventory. OUTCOME: Days of school missed, performance at grade level, alcohol use, drug use, smoking, and bingeing. RESULTS: After controlling for sociodemographics, life events, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and exposure to violence, relative to other children, children and adolescents with high degrees of depressive symptoms missed about 1 day more of school in the month preceding the survey (P<.05) and had higher odds of smoking (odds ratio, 1.84; P<.001), bingeing (odds ratio, 2.02; P<.001), and suicidal ideation (odds ratio, 16.59; P<.001). CONCLUSION: High levels of depressive symptoms are correlated with serious and significant consequences, even after controlling for life circumstances.

Language: en