Studying Depression, Anxiety, Distress and Somatization in a Community Sample of 2,425 Adults in Greece

Authors

  • Maya Louvardi Postgraduate Course “Science of Stress and Health Promotion”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, Athens, 11527 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7715-3908
  • Panagiotis Pelekasis Postgraduate Course “Science of Stress and Health Promotion”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, Athens, 11527, Greece
  • Flora Bacopoulou University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, and UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, 8 Thivon and Levadeias Str, 11527 Athens
  • Dimitrios Vlachakis University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, and UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, 8 Thivon and Levadeias Str, 11527 Athens Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens Lab of Molecular Endocrinology, Center of Clinical, Experimental Surgery and Translational Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens
  • George Chrousos Postgraduate Course “Science of Stress and Health Promotion”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, Athens, 11527 University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health & Precision Medicine, and UNESCO Chair on Adolescent Health Care, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children's Hospital, 8 Thivon and Levadeias Str, 11527 Athens
  • Christina Darviri Postgraduate Course “Science of Stress and Health Promotion”, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 4 Soranou Ephessiou Street, Athens, 11527

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14806/ej.26.1.972

Keywords:

mental health, Greece, 4-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire, 4-DSQ, depression, anxiety, distress, somatization

Abstract

A growing part of the literature has focused on depression, anxiety, distress and somatization. Identifying their prevalence and recording high-risk populations is essential in order to form relevant interventional programs addressing these symptoms. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and associated factors of distress, depression, anxiety and somatization in a community adult sample in Greece. Participants were recruited from two Greek cities; Giannitsa in the northern area and Athens in the southern area of the country and  completed sociodemographic assessments, as well as the 4-Dimensional Symptom Questionnaire (4-DSQ), a self-reported instrument assessing depression, anxiety, distress and somatization.

A total of 2,425 adults, females (60.1%) and males (39.9%), 18 to 84 years of age (mean age 46.98 ± SD) participated in the study. Mental health symptoms were reported by 10.8% for depression, 12% for anxiety, 13% for distress and 5.3% for somatization of the participants. Females scored higher than males in anxiety, distress, and somatization (p=0.000 in all cases), while there were no significant sex differences in depression (p=0.593). Statistically significant associations were found between age and depression, anxiety and distress (p=0.000 in all cases), since those between 18-34 years of age had higher scores than the older age groups in all variables. Higher scores of depression, anxiety and distress were reported by students and unemployed participants (p=0.000 in all cases) than participants with other occupations.

 This study mapped several sociodemographic groups with worse mental health. Studies in representative population samples are needed to guide public health interventions to improve the mental and physical well-being of high-risk populations.

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Published

2021-10-08

Issue

Vol. 26: Special issue to Biostatistics and Mathematical Modelling in Bioinformatics

Section

Research Papers

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