Long-term life dissatisfaction and its impact on mental health
Author Information
Author(s): Teemu Rissanen, Heimo Viinamäki, Kirsi Honkalampi, Soili M Lehto, Jukka Hintikka, Tarja Saharinen, Heli Koivumaa-Honkanen
Primary Institution: Kuopio University Hospital
Hypothesis
Does long-term life dissatisfaction predict major depressive disorder and poor mental health outcomes?
Conclusion
Long-term life dissatisfaction is significantly related to major depressive disorder and poor mental health.
Supporting Evidence
- 55% of those with long-term life dissatisfaction were diagnosed with MDD in 2005.
- Only 5% of those with long-term life satisfaction were diagnosed with MDD.
- Long-term life dissatisfaction was associated with poorer socio-demographic and clinical factors.
Takeaway
If people feel unhappy with their lives for a long time, they are more likely to become very sad or depressed later on.
Methodology
Health questionnaires were sent to a randomly selected population-based sample over several years, and a sub-sample was clinically evaluated.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may introduce bias in the assessment of major depressive disorder.
Limitations
MDD in 1999 was based on self-reports and not on structured interviews.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 25-64 years, with a mean age of 56.4 years, including 43% men and 57% women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.001
Confidence Interval
95% CI 3.97-30.4
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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