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Enduring financial crisis in Greece: prevalence and correlates of major depression and suicidality

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Abstract

Purpose

A series of repeated cross-sectional surveys conducted in 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2013 were conducted with the aim of estimating the prevalence of major depression and suicidality as well as of investigating its risk factors. The present report concentrates on the 2013 survey.

Methods

A random and representative sample of 2.188 people was telephone interviewed with regard to various socio-economic indicators and the presence of major depression and suicidality, which were assessed with the germane module of the Structured Clinical Interview.

Results

Findings suggest a rise in 1-month prevalence of major depression (12.3 %) and a decline in prevalence of suicidality (2.8 %). Female gender, residence in rural area, low educational attainment, unemployment and economic hardship were found to increase the odds of suffering from major depression. The influence of economic hardship and unemployment on suicidality was also substantial and independent of major depression.

Conclusions

Results stress the imperative need for the design and implementation of social policies and interventions that would offset the dire impact of the sustained recession in Greece.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Mental Health Research Institute (UMHRI), Soranou toy Efesiou 2, Papagou, 11527, Athens, Greece

    Marina Economou, Elias Angelopoulos, Lily Evangelia Peppou, Konstantinos Kontoangelos & Costas Stefanis

  2. First Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University, Athens, Greece

    Marina Economou, Elias Angelopoulos & Konstantinos Kontoangelos

  3. Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Peloponnese, Corinth, Greece

    Kyriakos Souliotis

  4. Department of Hygiene, Epidemiology and Medical Statistics, Centre for Health Services Research, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University, Athens, Greece

    Kyriakos Souliotis & Chara Tzavara

  5. Department of Mental Health and Behavioral Sciences, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Michael Madianos

Authors
  1. Marina Economou
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  2. Elias Angelopoulos
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  3. Lily Evangelia Peppou
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  4. Kyriakos Souliotis
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  6. Konstantinos Kontoangelos
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  7. Michael Madianos
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  8. Costas Stefanis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marina Economou.

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Economou, M., Angelopoulos, E., Peppou, L.E. et al. Enduring financial crisis in Greece: prevalence and correlates of major depression and suicidality. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol 51, 1015–1024 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1238-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-016-1238-z

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