Abstract

CADENA, Laura del Pilar et al. Current prevalence of major depressive disorder in the general population from Bucaramanga, Colombia. Rev. Fac. Nac. Salud Pública [online]. 2010, vol.28, n.1, pp.36-41. ISSN 0120-386X.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is the disorder with the most important global burden in terms of disability-adjusted life years. OBJECTIVE: to determine the current prevalence of MDD in the general population in Bucaramanga, Colombia, and to explore the risk factors associated with them. METHODOLOGY: this is a cross-sectional survey with a population random sampling that involved 18-65 year-old people living in Bucaramanga. A psychiatric diagnosis of a MDD during last month was accomplished using Structured Clinical Interview for Axis I diagnoses (SCID-I) according to the DSM-IV-TR criteria issued by the American Psychiatric Association. RESULTS: a total amount of 266 people were selected (57,1% women). Their mean age were 37,4 years and the formal education years were 9,8. A total of 12,0% was unemployed, 56,1% had a stable couple, and 51,2% lived in medium socioeconomic strata. The prevalence of MDD was 16,5% (95% CI 12,3-21,6). A significant association was identified between the fact of not having a stable couple (pr = 2,11) and the and level of education (pr = 0,41, for 6-11 cursed years, and pr = 0,28, for 12 or more cursed years, compared to five or lesser years of schooling) and the MDD. Discussion: the current prevalence of MDD is high among adult general population from Bucaramanga. This implies the necessity to develop better strategies for an early detection and an integral treatment of MDD cases in order to decrease social and economical costs of MDD.

Keywords : major depressive disorder; prevalence; epidemiology; public health population cross-sectional survey.