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Depressive symptoms among adults 18–69 years in Italy: results from the Italian behavioural risk factor surveillance system, 2007

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Journal of Public Health

Abstract

Background

Little is known about the prevalence of depressive symptoms in the Italian general population, nor about help-seeking behaviours among those with depressive symptoms.

Methods

We used 2007 data from PASSI, the Italian behavioural risk factor surveillance system, based on telephone interviews of residents aged 18–69 years. A modified version of the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 was used to explore the presence of depressive symptoms. Those with symptoms were asked about whether they had sought help. Association of depressive symptoms with risk factors and self-perceived health was evaluated.

Results

9.4% of the interviewees met the case definition. Risk factors included older age, female sex, low educational attainment, unemployment, financial problems and chronic illnesses. Of those for whom information on help-seeking was available, 47.2% did not seek any help. Depressive symptoms were associated with poorer self-perceived health.

Conclusion

Population-based surveillance systems tracking the prevalence of depressive symptoms and associated risk factors and behaviours may offer needed information for planning, implementing and evaluating promotion and prevention interventions capable of reducing the number of people who go on to experience depressive episodes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the many regional referents and the regional/local coordinators who contributed to the data collection. A special thanks goes to the health care workers in the public health departments in the LHUs who conduct the interviews. Another special thanks goes to Francesca Romana Meduri and Monica Bolli for their administrative support. Finally, they wish to thank Drs Kurt Kroenke and Tara Strine for their generous advice and assistance in the development of the Italian version of the study instrument. This work was supported by the Italian Ministry of Health/National Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (grant 4393/2004-Ccm).

Conflicts of interest statement

None declared.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy

    Nancy Binkin, Antonella Gigantesco, Gianluigi Ferrante & Sandro Baldissera

  2. National Centre of Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Italian National Institute of Health, Viale Regina Elena, 299, 00161, Rome, Italy

    Nancy Binkin, Antonella Gigantesco, Gianluigi Ferrante & Sandro Baldissera

Authors
  1. Nancy Binkin
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  2. Antonella Gigantesco
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  3. Gianluigi Ferrante
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  4. Sandro Baldissera
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Antonella Gigantesco.

Additional information

On behalf of the Passi coordinating group.

Appendix

Appendix

Members of Passi coordinating group were listed as follows: Barbara De Mei, Gabriele Fontana, Valentina Minardi, Giada Minelli, Alberto Perra, Valentina Possenti, Stefania Salmaso—Italian National Institute of Health, National Centre of Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Rome, Italy; Nicoletta Bertozzi—Department of Public Health, Ausl Cesena; Stefano Campostrini—Department of Statistics, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice; Giuliano Carrozzi—Department of Public Health, Ausl Modena; Angelo D’Argenzio—Department of Prevention, Asl Caserta 2; Pirous Fateh-Moghadam—Health Education Service, Provincial Agency for Health Services, Trent; Massimo Oddone Trinito—Department of Prevention, Ausl Roma C; Paolo D’Argenio—Regional Health Agency of Campania, Naples; Stefania Vasselli—Ministry of Work, Health, and Social Policy, Rome; Eva Benelli, Stefano Menna—Zadig Scientific Communications, Rome.

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Binkin, N., Gigantesco, A., Ferrante, G. et al. Depressive symptoms among adults 18–69 years in Italy: results from the Italian behavioural risk factor surveillance system, 2007. Int J Public Health 55, 479–488 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-009-0106-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-009-0106-y

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