Recognition of signs and behaviours of depression: In Fact

Methodology

Respondents in the 2014 HLS were asked, ‘If a person has untreated depression, what are five signs or behaviours they might show?’ For the purposes of this analysis, untreated depression was considered to be continuing signs and behaviours of depression. Respondents were not prompted nor probed for their response. The order respondents reported each sign/behaviour was recorded. Respondents were able to list up to five signs or behaviours. If respondents answered ‘don’t know’ or ‘refused’, they were not asked to name another sign/behaviour and proceeded to the next survey question.

First, respondents’ responses were grouped (regardless of the order given or whether they dropped out due to a ‘don’t know’ or ‘refused’ answer) to determine the total proportion of respondents who recognised each sign/behaviour. Second, the proportion of respondents who were able to identify up to five signs or behaviours of untreated depression was assessed. Lastly, a logistic regression was used to compare respondents who could identify three or more signs/behaviours of untreated depression to those who could not (ie, could identify two or fewer signs/behaviours) by gender, age, ethnicity, neighbourhood deprivation status and educational background. See the ‘About the Health and Lifestyles Survey’ section for more detail and the relevant comparison groups. Only those group differences that were statistically significant (p < .05) are reported.