Citation

Ranney ML, Walton MAL, Whiteside L, Epstein-Ngo Q, Patton R, Chermack S, Blow F, Cunningham RM. Gen. Hosp. Psychiatry 2013; 35(5): 537-544.

Affiliation

Injury Prevention Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Alpert Medical School, Brown University, 55 Claverick St, Providence, RI 02903. Electronic address: mranney@lifespan.org.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2013.05.007

PMID

23810465

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The study's objective was to identify correlates of depressive symptoms among at-risk youth in an urban emergency department (ED). METHOD: A systematic sample of adolescents (ages 14-18) in the ED were recruited as part of a larger study. Participants reporting past-year alcohol use and peer aggression self-administered a survey assessing: demographics, depressive symptoms and risk/protective factors. Logistic regression identified factors associated with depressive symptoms. RESULTS: Among 624 adolescents (88% response rate) meeting eligibility criteria, 22.8% (n=142) screened positive for depressive symptoms. In logistic regression, depressive symptoms were positively associated with female gender [odds ratio (OR): 2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.78-4.51], poor academic performance (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.01-2.44), binge drinking (OR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.21-2.91), community violence exposure (OR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.59-3.18) and dating violence (OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.36-3.38) and were negatively associated with same-sex mentorship (OR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.29-0.91) and older age (OR: 0.55, 95% CI 0.34-0.89). Including gender interaction terms did not significantly change findings. CONCLUSIONS: Screening and intervention approaches for youth in the urban ED should address the co-occurrence of depressive symptoms with peer and dating violence, alcohol and nonmarijuana illicit drug use.

Language: en