The British Journal of Psychiatry (2007) 190: 293-298. doi: 10.1192/bjp.bp.105.020040
© 2007 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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Depression and socio-economic risk factors: 7-year longitudinal population study

VINCENT LORANT, PhD

Public Health School, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium and Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

CHRISTOPHE CROUX, PhD

Faculty of Economics and Applied Economics, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium

SCOTT WEICH, MRCPsych

University of Warwick Medical School, Coventry, UK

DENISE DELIÈGE, PhD

Public Health School, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium

JOHAN MACKENBACH, MD, PhD

Erasmus University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

MARC ANSSEAU, MD, PhD

University of Liège, Belgium

Correspondence: Dr Vincent Lorant, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Université Catholique de Louvain, Clos Chapelle aux champs 30.41, 1200 Brussels, Belgium. Tel: +32 2 7643263; fax: +32 2 7643183; email: lorant{at}sesa.ucl.ac.be

Declaration of interest None.

Background Low socio-economic status is associated with a higher prevalence of depression, but it is not yet known whether change in socio-economic status leads to a change in rates of depression.

Aims To assess whether longitudinal change in socio-economic factors affects change of depression level.

Method In a prospective cohort study using the annual Belgian Household Panel Survey (1992–1999), depression was assessed using the Global Depression Scale. Socio-economic factors were assessed with regard to material standard of living, education, employment status and social relationships.

Results A lowering in material standard of living between annual waves was associated with increases in depressive symptoms and caseness of major depression. Life circumstances also influenced depression. Ceasing to cohabit with a partner increased depressive symptoms and caseness, and improvement in circumstances reduced them; the negative effects were stronger than the positive ones.

Conclusions The study showed a clear relationship between worsening socio-economic circumstances and depression.




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