Prevalence of winter depression in Denmark

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Environmental Psychology
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder linked to changes in seasons.
• Assessing the prevalence and sensitivity to environmental factors is crucial for understanding SAD.
• Previous research indicates potential demographic variations in SAD prevalence and symptom severity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate the prevalence of SAD in an unselected urban population.
• To investigate the sensitivity of individuals to seasonal and weather changes.
• To explore demographic differences in SAD prevalence and environmental sensitivity.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 3556 subjects in Copenhagen was invited to participate.
• The Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ) was used to assess seasonality.
• 1794 completed questionnaires were analyzed to determine Global Seasonality Score (GSS) and identify SAD.

Main Results:

• A total of 1794 subjects completed the SPAQ, with 12% meeting criteria for SAD.
• Among individuals without SAD, women exhibited higher sensitivity to seasonal and weather changes compared to men.
• Younger participants without SAD also reported greater sensitivity to environmental shifts than older individuals.

Conclusions:

• SAD affects approximately 12% of the studied urban population.
• Non-SAD experiencing women and younger individuals are more susceptible to seasonal and weather influences.
• Further research into environmental triggers and demographic factors in SAD is warranted.