|
|
Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder across Rural Populations
Because virtually all rural counties are mental health (MH) professional shortage areas, rural residents with MH problems may be less likely to receive services than persons with better access. The purpose of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of two common problems, depression and generalized anxiety disorder, across rural populations, and to identify rural-urban disparities in the receipt of care for these conditions.
The study will accomplish the following:
- Estimate the prevalence of depression and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) among rural populations, including prevalence among racial/ethnic minorities
- Estimate the proportion of persons with depression or GAD who experience significant effects from these conditions.
- Estimate the proportion of persons with depression or GAD who seek professional help for the condition.
Publications
-
Depression in Rural Populations: Prevalence, Effects on Life Quality, And Treatment-Seeking Behavior
Author(s): Janice C. Probst, Sarah Laditka, Charity G. Moore, Nusrat Harun, M. Paige Powell
Date: 05 / 2005
Using the National Health Interview Survey and the NHIS-administered depression scale from the Comprehensive International Diagnostic Interview to explore depression among rural versus urban residents, the authors found that the prevalence of major depression was significantly higher among rural (6.11%) than among urban (5.16%) populations. However, nearly all individuals scoring positive for depression reported that their symptoms interfered with their life or activities (46.67% rural, 44.25% urban). Persons without any health insurance were less likely to have communicated with a physician than were the privately or publicly insured. Additionally, the likelihood that an individual with depression would have communicated with a practitioner rose as the person's self reported health declined. Executive summary available online.
-
Depression in Rural Populations: Prevalence, Effects on Life Quality, and Treatment-Seeking Behavior (Fact Sheet)
Date: 2005
To explore the prevalence of selected mental health diagnoses across rural populations, including rural minority residents, they studied information obtained by the 1999 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), a nationally representative survey of more than 30,000 U.S. adults.
-
Rural-Urban Differences in Depression Prevalence: Implications for Family Medicine
Author(s): Janice C. Probst, Sarah B. Laditka, Charity G. Moore, Nusrat Harun, M. Paige Powell, Elizabeth G. Baxley
Citation: Family Medicine, 38(9), 653-60
Date: 10 / 2006
Reports results of a study that examined the prevalence of depression in rural versus urban areas. An estimated 2.6 million rural adults suffer from depression. The unadjusted prevalence of depression was significantly higher among rural than urban populations (6.1% versus 5.2% ). After adjusting for rural/urban population characteristics, however, the odds of depression did not differ by residence. Depression risk was higher among persons likely to be encountered in a primary care setting: those with fair or poor self-reported health, hypertension, with limitations in daily activities, or whose health status changed during the previous year.
|
