Background: This paper aimed to investigate associations between major depressive episode (MDE) and chronic illness, disability, self-perceived health and number of sick-days among adolescents and young adults in the general population.
Methods: The Finnish Health Care Survey 1996 was a cross-sectional nationwide epidemiological study. A random sample of 509 adolescents and 433 young adults was interviewed in 1996. DSM-III-R MDE during the past 12 months was defined using The University of Michigan Composite International Diagnostic Interview Short-Form algorithm. Data on physical health were gathered in the interview.
Results: In multivariable logistic regression, chronic illness [odds ratio (OR) 1.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03, 3.05], poor self-rated health (OR 2.26; 95% CI 1.01, 5.07), more than three sick-days in the past 6 months (OR 1.72; 95% CI 1.02, 2.92) and respiratory allergies (OR 2.40; 95% CI 1.00, 5.75) were associated with MDE. Among 15- to 19-year-olds, disabling chronic illness was related to MDE (OR 2.59; 95% CI 1.06, 6.36), and thoughts of death were more prevalent in the presence of chronic illness among those with MDE [35.2% versus 65.7%; F(1,67) P = 0.024]. Migraine was associated with MDE among young adults (OR 6.18; 95% CI 1.14, 30.8).
Conclusions: Symptoms of depression should be investigated among adolescents with chronic illness or frequent sick-days. The degree of reported disability should be noted. Young people with both chronic illness and depressive symptoms should be assessed for thoughts of death and possible suicidality.