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Depressive symptoms among adults: Baseline findings of PURE Malaysia cohort study

Mohd Tamil A 1 , Ismail NH 1 , Jaafar MH 1 , Md Isa Z 1 , Ismail R 1 , Mat Nasir N 2 Show all authors , Miskan M 3 , Zainol Abidin N 1 , Ab Razak NH 1 , Joundi R 4 , Yusof KH 1

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Public Health Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 2 Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Sungai Buloh Campus, Selangor Branch, Jalan Hospital, 47000 Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia
  • 3 Department of Primary Care Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Defence Health, National Defence University of Malaysia, Sungai Besi, 57000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • 4 Division of Neurology, Hamilton Health Sciences, McMaster University and Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton General Hospital, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Heliyon, 2024 Jan 15;10(1):e23042.
PMID: 38192831 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23042

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: In Malaysia, the prevalence of depression has increased from 1.8 % to 2.3 % within a decade. Thus, this study was performed to identify depressive symptoms and its associated factors among Malaysian adults.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the adult population aged 35-70 residing in rural and urban areas in Malaysia. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the short form Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) questionnaire. Logistic regression models were fitted to identify the associated factors related to depressive symptoms.

RESULTS: About 3.7 % (95 % CI: 2.33-4.83) of the respondents reported having depressive symptoms. Younger adults aged 35-40 years old (AOR: 3.087; 95 % CI: 2.021-4.717), females (AOR: 2.318; 95 % CI: 1.669-3.219), widows and divorcees (AOR: 2.294; 95 % CI: 1.085-4.848), smokers (AOR: 1.843; 95 % CI: 1.334-2.545) and alcohol consumers (AOR: 1.843; 95 % CI: 1.264-2.688) showed a higher odds compared to their other counterparts. Underweight individuals (AOR: 1.899; 95 % CI: 1.177-3.065) and those diagnosed either with hypertension (AOR: 1.442; 95 % CI: 1.11-1.873), diabetes (AOR: 1.554; 95 % CI: 1.133-2.13), angina (AOR: 2.73; 95 % CI: 1.596-4.67), COPD (AOR: 4.187; 95 % CI: 1.528-11.472) or asthma (AOR: 1.906; 95 % CI: 1.309-2.774) were more likely to have depressive symptoms. Additionally, individuals with difficulty trusting people (AOR: 1.477; 95 % CI: 1.024-2.13) and those reported to experience either home or work-related stress (AOR: 2.584; 95 % CI: 2.003-3.331) were more prone to have depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSION: In this broad population-based study, about 3.7 % (95 % CI: 2.33-4.83) of respondents reported having depressive symptoms. Timely and well targeted collaborative intervention on the identified risk factors by the relevant authorities, would mitigate their effect on the quality of life and retard the progression into depression, especially among younger adults.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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