[Depression prevalence and risk factors found in women attended by a family physician]

Determine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in adult woman who was attended by family physician, to explore risk factors for depression and estimate how often depression is registered as a diagnosis by the family physician.

We did a prospective, analytic, and transversal study with simple randomized sampling at a Mexico City Family Medicine Clinic from March to December 2004. The size of the study was 384 patients. It includes women from 20 to 59 years of age. We excluded women without a clinical file for at least 1 year of reliable information. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the Family Apgar Scale were applied.

The survey included a total of 400 patients with the following characteristics: average age, 39 +/- 11 years; married, 74%; homemakers, 68%, and women with education level of high school or less were 79%. Prevalence of depressive symptoms was 52% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 47-57). In women between 20 and 39 years of age, there was an association between depression and family dysfunction; the average number of healthcare appointments for the year prior to the study was significantly higher in patients 40 years old or more.

There is a high prevalence of depressive symptoms in adult women, and depression diagnosis is frequently omitted. Depression-associated factors differ according to chronological age. In young women, family dysfunction is the main risk factor.