Table 2.
Variables associated with perceived reduction in depression
| % (n/N) | P | Adjusted* Odds Ratio(95% CI) | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 78.4 (313/399) | 0.009 | 1.0 | |
| Female | 84.1 (1095/1302) | 1.41 (0.64–3.09) | 0.39 | |
| Age | ||||
| Over 55 | 84.1 (228/271) | 0.03 | 1.0 | |
| 36–55 | 84.8 (668/788) | 3.18 (1.03–9.83) | 0.04 | |
| 35 and under | 79.8 (517/648) | 4.16 (1.24–13.9) | 0.02 | |
| Annual personal income | ||||
| Under $20 000 | 75.8 (382/504) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| $20 000–60 000 | 83.6 (572/684) | 2.01 (0.96–4.21) | 0.06 | |
| Over $60 000 | 88.5 (448/506) | 5.56 (1.86–16.6) | 0.002 | |
| Educational level | ||||
| Not finished high school | 76.1 (89/117) | 0.003 | 1.0 | |
| Finished high school | 77.6 (229/295) | 0.39 (0.09–1.72) | 0.21 | |
| Certificate/diploma | 82.1 (368/448) | 0.70 (0.17–2.97) | 0.63 | |
| University degree | 85.0 (431/507) | 0.78 (0.19–3.16) | 0.72 | |
| University postgrad degree | 87.4 (298/341) | 1.33 (0.27–6.62) | 0.73 | |
| Loss in 2 months before antidepressants (AD) use | ||||
| No | 83.4 (1316/1578) | 0.04 | 1.0 | |
| Yes | 76.2 (93/122) | 0.32 (0.11–0.88) | 0.03 | |
| Received all key information† from doctor about AD | ||||
| No | 78.4 (845/1078) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Yes | 91.3 (431/472) | 2.73 (1.02–7.72) | 0.04 | |
| Relationship with doctor ‘good’ and felt he/she understood the problem | ||||
| No | 69.8 (474/679) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Yes | 91.6 (918/1002) | 2.11 (1.01–4.49) | 0.04 | |
| Time spent with doctor | ||||
| 15 min or less | 76.4 (528/691) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| 15–30 min | 86.5 (501/579) | 0.82 (0.36–1.85) | 0.63 | |
| Over 30 min | 88.1 (370/420) | 1.88 (0.70–5.07) | 0.21 | |
| Who first suggested AD use | ||||
| GP/Psychiatrist | 81.5 (1023/1255) | 0.002 | 1.0 | |
| Informal (patient, relative, friend) | 88.6 (288/325) | 1.37 (0.63–3.02) | 0.43 | |
| Depression severity in year before AD use | ||||
| Mild/none | 66.5 (216/325) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Moderate | 86.0 (551/641) | 1.70 (0.73–3.91) | 0.22 | |
| Severe | 87.7 (641/731) | 2.69 (1.13–6.39) | 0.02 | |
| No of social causes indicated | ||||
| >5 | 77.4 (384/496) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| 3–5 | 85.3 (654/762) | 2.32 (1.12–4.80) | 0.02 | |
| <3 | 86.3 (340/394) | 4.19 (1.40–12.6) | 0.01 | |
| No of biological causes indicated | ||||
| None/one | 79.6 (641/805) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Two/three | 88.9 (724/814) | 2.03 (0.99–4.16) | 0.05 | |
| ‘Antidepressants are the best treatment’ | ||||
| Disagree/strongly disagree | 90.7 (606/668) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Not sure | 70.0 (452/646) | 1.76 (0.60–5.14) | 0.30 | |
| Agree/strongly agree | 95.1 (310/326) | 1.93 (0.89–4.20) | 0.10 | |
| Adverse effect severity score | ||||
| Score >20 | 61.9 (180/291) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Score 11–20 | 86.2 (281/326) | 3.09 (1.35–7.07) | 0.008 | |
| Score 0–10 | 92.2 (450/488) | 4.78 (2.02–11.3) | <0.001 | |
| Chemical/placebo belief | ||||
| >50% placebo | 61.0 (47/77) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| 50% chemical/50% placebo | 89.2 (174/195) | 4.28 (1.41–13.1) | 0.01 | |
| >50% chemical | 94.8 (1125/1187) | 6.88 (2.57–18.4) | <0.001 | |
*
Adjusted for covariates that were significant in the univariate analysis.
†
Information relating to expected benefits of taking AD, how the AD works, an estimate of duration, potential side-effects and the nature of the problem being addressed by the AD.