Depressive symptoms and cardiovascular diseases in the adult Polish population. Results of the NATPOL2011 study

Abstract

Background: Poland is a country of high cardiovascular risk. Because depression was found to be a predictor of coronary artery disease and the prevalence of depressive symptoms (DSs) has risen worldwide, their monitoring in the population is desirable.

Aims: We sought to evaluate the prevalence of DSs in relation to the socio-demographic status and selected types of cardio­vascular diseases in the adult Polish population.

Methods: A country-representative random sample of 2413 subjects, aged 18 to 79 years, was examined in 2011. Rates of self-reported cardiovascular conditions including hypertension (HT), coronary artery disease (CAD), previous myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure, atrial fibrillation (AF), and stroke were assessed by a questionnaire, and the prevalence of DSs was assessed by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), separately in men and women. DSs were defined as BDI score ≥ 10 points.

Results: Depressive symptoms were found in 23.4% of men and 33.4% of women (p < 0.0001). The prevalence of DSs increased with age, from 16.5% in the youngest group of men to 48.3% in the oldest group of women. We found that DSs were significantly more prevalent in subjects suffering from HT, CAD, stroke, AF, and diabetes, and also in women after MI. The rates of DSs in women with a history of MI or stroke were extremely high (76.3% and 83.3%, respectively). Age and primary education level were associated with DSs, as was history of stroke in women. DSs were more often found in older persons and in those with primary level of education.

Conclusions: Depressive symptoms were more prevalent in women compared to men, and they were significantly and inde­pendently associated with age and primary education level in both sexes, and with a history of stroke in women.