Prevalence and Correlates of Individuals Screening Positive for Depression and Anxiety on the PHQ-4 in the German General Population: Findings from the Nationally Representative German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP)

André Hajek and Hans-Helmut König
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André Hajek: Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
Hans-Helmut König: Department of Health Economics and Health Services Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 21, 1-11

Abstract: Our aim was to estimate the prevalence and correlates of probable depression and anxiety in the general adult population in Germany. Repeated cross-sectional data (i.e., cross-sectional data observed at different time points: year 2012 and year 2014) were derived from the innovation sample of the German Socio-Economic Panel, a population-based study of German households. The validated Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4) was used to measure probable depression and anxiety. In the analytical sample, n equaled 2952 individuals. According to the PHQ-4 cut-off values, 10.4% of the individuals had probable depression and 9.8% of the individuals had probable anxiety. Regressions revealed that the likelihood of depression was positively associated with lower age (OR: 0.98 (95% CI: 0.98–0.99)), being unmarried (and living together with spouse) (OR: 0.75 (0.58–0.98)), worse self-rated health (OR: 1.99 (1.73–2.27)), and more chronic diseases (OR: 1.18 (1.07–1.31)). Furthermore, the likelihood of anxiety was positively associated with being female (OR: 1.36 (95% CI: 1.04–1.76)), lower age (OR: 0.98 (95% CI: 0.97–0.99)), low education (medium education, OR: 0.69 (0.50–0.95)), worse self-rated health (OR: 2.00 (1.74–2.30)), and more chronic diseases (OR: 1.15 (1.03–1.27)). The magnitude of depression and anxiety was highlighted. Clinicians should be aware of the factors associated with probable depression and anxiety.

Keywords: anxiety; depression; general population; mental disorders; Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ); prevalence; SOEP; mental health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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