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Persistent depressive disorders and social stress in people of Pakistani origin and white Europeans in UK

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Abstract

Introduction

We compared depression, social stress and treatment in people of Pakistani origin and white Europeans living in an UK city.

Method

In a population-based two-phase sample of 1,856 adults we interviewed 651 (77%) of eligible participants, using the schedule for clinical assessment in neuropsychiatry and life events and difficulties schedule. We identified 216 people with depressive and 208 with subthreshold disorder; after 6-months we re-interviewed 398 (94% response).

Results

Depressive disorder was more common in Pakistani women only (31.1% [24.1–38.0] vs.19.3% [14.1–24.5]) and persisted more often in Pakistanis over 50 years of age (90 vs.66%, P = 0.023). New episodes of depressive disorder occurred in 17% of participants who had subthreshold disorder at baseline in each ethnic group. Persistent depression in the Pakistani group was associated with continuing problems of disabling physical illness and close relationships. Treatment was limited and not associated with persistent depression.

Conclusions

Persistent depressive disorder in older people of Pakistani origin is associated with potentially remediable factors.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the Medical Research Council, UK. We thank the participants and the general practitioners who took part in the study; S. Hijazi, M. Munawar, S. Ghangrekar who collected data, Nusrat Husain for his helpful advice during the fieldwork for the study; Judy Jackson and Anne-Marie Biggs for their assistance with LEDS assessments; Kathryn Quinn for her advice on revisions to the final manuscript; and the Pakistani Community Centre, Longsight, Manchester.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Psychiatry Research Group, University of Manchester, Rawnsley Building, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WL, UK

    Richard Gater, Barbara Tomenson, Carol Percival, Nasim Chaudhry, Waquas Waheed &  Francis Creed

  2. Health Methodology Research Group, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

    Graham Dunn

  3. University of Aberdeen School of Medicine, Aberdeen, UK

    Gary Macfarlane

Authors
  1. Richard Gater
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  2. Barbara Tomenson
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  4. Nasim Chaudhry
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  6. Graham Dunn
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  7. Gary Macfarlane
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  8. Francis Creed
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Correspondence to Francis Creed.

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Gater, R., Tomenson, B., Percival, C. et al. Persistent depressive disorders and social stress in people of Pakistani origin and white Europeans in UK. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 44, 198–207 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0426-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0426-x

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