Correlates of depressive symptoms among at-risk youth presenting to the emergency department

• Published in: General hospital psychiatry Vol. 35; no. 5; pp. 537 - 544
• Main Authors: Ranney, Megan L., M.D., M.P.H, Walton, Maureen, Ph.D, Whiteside, Lauren, M.D., M.P.H, Epstein-Ngo, Quyen, Ph.D, Patton, Rikki, Ph.D, Chermack, Stephen, Ph.D, Blow, Fred, Ph.D, Cunningham, Rebecca M., M.D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.09.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Addictive behaviors; Adolescent; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Biological and medical sciences; Dating violence; Depression; Depression - epidemiology; Depression - psychology; Emergency Service, Hospital - statistics & numerical data; Female; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Mood disorders; Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; Substance use; Substance-Related Disorders - epidemiology; Substance-Related Disorders - psychology; Violence; Violence - psychology; Violence - statistics & numerical data; Dating violence; Substance use; Depression; Violence; Adolescent; Human; Mood disorder; Substance abuse; Symptomatology; Emergency department; Risk factor; Dating behavior; Public health
• ISSN: 0163-8343; 1873-7714
• DOI: 10.1016/j.genhosppsych.2013.05.007

Abstract Objective The study's objective was to identify correlates of depressive symptoms among at-risk youth in an urban emergency department (ED). Method A systematic sample of adolescents (ages 14–18) in the ED were recruited as part of a larger study. Participants reporting past-year alcohol use and peer aggression self-administered a survey assessing: demographics, depressive symptoms and risk/protective factors. Logistic regression identified factors associated with depressive symptoms. Results Among 624 adolescents (88% response rate) meeting eligibility criteria, 22.8% ( n =142) screened positive for depressive symptoms. In logistic regression, depressive symptoms were positively associated with female gender [odds ratio (OR): 2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.78–4.51], poor academic performance (OR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.01–2.44), binge drinking (OR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.21–2.91), community violence exposure (OR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.59–3.18) and dating violence (OR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.36–3.38) and were negatively associated with same-sex mentorship (OR: 0.52, 95% CI: 0.29–0.91) and older age (OR: 0.55, 95% CI 0.34–0.89). Including gender interaction terms did not significantly change findings. Conclusions Screening and intervention approaches for youth in the urban ED should address the co-occurrence of depressive symptoms with peer and dating violence, alcohol and nonmarijuana illicit drug use.