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Specific medical conditions associated with clinically significant depressive symptoms in men

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Abstract

Purpose

To define specific medical conditions associated with clinically significant depressive symptoms in men.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted in a community-based sample of Australian men (N = 1,195, aged 35–80 years; for 2002–2005). Depression was defined by: (1) symptomatic depression (current symptoms) or (2) current prescription for antidepressant(s) or (3) previously diagnosed depression. Logistic regression was used to determine prevalence odds ratios (OR) for depression independently associated with an extensive range of demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors. Adjusted population attributable risk (PAR%) estimates were also computed.

Results

Depression was significantly (ORs at P < 0.05) associated with previously diagnosed anxiety (12.0) and insomnia (4.4), not married (1.7), current smoker (1.7), low muscle strength tertile (1.7, P = 0.059), high triglycerides (1.6), high storage lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) tertile (1.8), past year general practitioner visits 5–9 (1.9), middle energy density tertile (0.4), and high systolic blood pressure (0.5). Significant PAR% estimates (at P < 0.05) were for previous anxiety (27.0%) and insomnia (16.1%), middle energy density tertile (−17.2%), high SBP (−23.5%), high triglycerides (15.2%), and high storage LUTS tertile (12.6%). Results strengthened when depression-related factors (previous anxiety and insomnia, psycholeptics, and cognition) were omitted, and became significant for CVD (OR 1.6; PAR 13.9%).

Conclusions

Medical conditions associated with depression in men include high triglycerides, low muscle strength, CVD, and LUTS. Depressed men are likely to use health services frequently, be current smokers, not be married, eat unhealthily, and report previous diagnosis of anxiety and insomnia; which has important implications for clinicians managing male patients.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the clinic and recruitment staff for their invaluable efforts. Particular thanks are extended to Janet Grant, Sandy Pickering and to staff of the North West Adelaide Health Study for all their assistance. Thanks to Chris Seaborn and Erika Bowden and staff at the Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Queen Elizabeth Hospital for providing expertise and assistance with DXA procedures. Finally, thanks are extended to our participants and their families for their invaluable contributions. The study was initially supported by The University of Adelaide’s Florey Foundation and is currently partially funded by the South Australian Government’s Men’s Health Program. This work was also funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (NHMRC project grant # 453662, WDT; Training Fellowship Public Health grant # 511345, MTH).

Conflict of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Adelaide Hospital/Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science, South Australia Health, Government of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia

    Evan Atlantis, Peter D. O’Loughlin, Wayne Tilley & Gary A. Wittert

  2. School of Medicine, Freemasons Foundation Centre for Men’s Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Evan Atlantis, Sean Martin, Peter D. O’Loughlin, Villis Marshall, Wayne Tilley & Gary A. Wittert

  3. School of Medicine, Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Nutritional Physiology, Interventions and Outcomes, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Kylie Lange & Gary A. Wittert

  4. Discipline of Psychiatry, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia

    Robert D. Goldney

  5. Hanson Institute, SA Pathology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia

    Robert D. Goldney

  6. Division of Health Sciences, SANSOM Institute, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Matthew T. Haren & Anne Taylor

  7. School of Medicine, Dame Roma Mitchell Cancer Research Laboratories and Discipline of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

    Wayne Tilley

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  1. Evan Atlantis
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  2. Kylie Lange
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Correspondence to Evan Atlantis.

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Atlantis, E., Lange, K., Goldney, R.D. et al. Specific medical conditions associated with clinically significant depressive symptoms in men. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 46, 1303–1312 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0302-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0302-3

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