Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study in Psychological Counseling
Published on: January 17, 2025
The clinical research center for depression study: baseline characteristics of a korean long-term hospital-based
Tae-Suk Kim1, Seung Hee Jeong, Jung-Bum Kim
1Department of Psychiatry, The Catholic University of Korea School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Insights
The Clinical Research Center for Depression (CRESCEND) study in Korea characterized 1,183 participants with depressive disorders. Findings suggest unique ethnic and cultural factors may influence depression presentation in this population.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The Clinical Research Center for Depression (CRESCEND) study is a prospective, hospital-based cohort study in Korea.
- It aims to investigate clinical outcomes in individuals with depressive disorders over nine years.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the baseline characteristics of participants with depression in a Korean hospital-based cohort.
- To identify potential ethnic and cultural influences on depression presentation.
Main Methods:
- 1,183 participants were recruited from 18 hospitals.
- Data collection included clinical assessments (e.g., HDRS-17, BDI-II), psychiatric and medical histories, and socio-epidemiological data.
Main Results:
- The average age was 47.9 years, with 74.4% females.
- 82.9% had major depressive disorder; 40.9% experienced their first episode; 21.4% had a history of suicide attempts.
- 85.3% were moderately to severely ill, with an average HDRS-17 score of 19.8.
Conclusions:
- Baseline characteristics in the CRESCEND study indicate distinct features of depression in Korea.
- These findings suggest the potential role of ethnic and cultural factors in the manifestation of depression.
Objective:
The Clinical Research Center for Depression (CRESCEND) study is a 9-year observational collaborative prospective cohort study for the clinical outcomes in participants with depressive disorders in Korea. In this study, we examined the baseline characteristics of the depressive participants as the hospital-based cohort.
Methods:
Participants were assessed using various instruments including the Clinical Global Impression scale, 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS-17), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Social and Occupational Functioning Assessment Scale, Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition, Scale for Suicide Ideation, and World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment instruments-abbreviated version. Also, personal histories of medical and psychiatric illnesses and the range of socio-epidemiologic and clinical data were collected from each participant.
Results:
One thousand one hundred eighty three participants were recruited from 18 hospitals. The mean age of the participants was 47.9±15.9 year-old, 74.4% were female, 82.9% had been diagnosed of major depressive disorder, 40.9% were experiencing their first depressive episode, and 21.4% had a past history of suicide attempts. The majority (85.3%) of the participants were moderately to severely ill. The average HDRS-17 was 19.8±6.1. Significant gender differences at baseline were shown in age, education, marriage, employment, religion, and first depressive episode.
Conclusion:
The baseline findings in the CRESCEND study showed some different characteristics of depression in Korea, suggesting a possibility of ethnic and cultural factors in depression.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Longitudinal Studies
01:05Long-term Depression
01:03Long-term Depression
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over time, all...
01:27Depressive Disorders: Etiology
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...
01:18Depression: Overview
02:20Longitudinal Research