Table 3.
Variables associated with perceived improvement in quality of life
| % (n/N) | P | Adjusted* Odds Ratio(95% CI) | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||||
| Male | 78.4 (313/399) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Female | 87.5 (1147/1311) | 1.70 (0.81–3.57) | 0.16 | |
| Age | ||||
| Over 55 | 86.9 (239/275) | 0.002 | 1.0 | |
| 36–55 | 87.9 (695/791) | 2.64 (0.75–9.35) | 0.13 | |
| 35 and under | 81.5 (529/649) | 2.84 (0.83–9.71) | 0.10 | |
| Annual personal income | ||||
| Under $20 000 | 80.8 (407/504) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| $20 000–60 000 | 85.1 (587/690) | 1.02 (0.45–2.31) | 0.97 | |
| Over $60 000 | 90.2 (458/508) | 1.94 (0.68–5.55) | 0.22 | |
| Educational level | ||||
| Not finished high school | 81.9 (95/116) | 0.19 | – | – |
| Finished high school | 82.9 (247/298) | – | – | |
| Certificate/diploma | 85.1 (383/450) | – | – | |
| University degree | 85.5 (435/509) | – | – | |
| University postgrad degree | 89.0 (306/344) | – | – | |
| Loss in 2 months before antidepressants (AD) use | ||||
| No | 85.7 (1358/1584) | 0.19 | – | – |
| Yes | 81.5 (101/124) | – | – | |
| Received all key information† from doctor about AD | ||||
| No | 81.9 (887/1083) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Yes | 92.6 (439/474) | 1.36 (0.51–3.67) | 0.54 | |
| Relationship with doctor ‘good’ and felt he/she understood the problem | ||||
| No | 72.5 (494/681) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Yes | 94.0 (948/1009) | 2.93 (1.29–6.66) | 0.01 | |
| Time spent with doctor | ||||
| 15 min or less | 78.3 (545/696) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| 15–30 min | 90.5 (523/578) | 1.42 (0.55–3.68) | 0.46 | |
| Over 30 min | 89.6 (381/425) | 2.04 (0.80–5.21) | 0.14 | |
| Who first suggested AD use | ||||
| GP/Psychiatrist | 84.5 (1066/1261) | 0.04 | 1.0 | |
| Informal (patient, relative, friend) | 89.0 (292/328) | 1.73 (0.78–3.79) | 0.17 | |
| Depression severity in year before AD use | ||||
| Mild/none | 70.1 (232/331) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Moderate | 88.1 (571/648) | 1.26 (0.52–3.09) | 0.61 | |
| Severe | 90.1 (656/728) | 2.06 (0.83–5.11) | 0.12 | |
| No of social causes indicated | ||||
| >5 | 80.5 (400/497) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| 3–5 | 88.4 (680/769) | 1.38 (0.65–2.99) | 0.40 | |
| <3 | 87.8 (347/395) | 1.65 (0.58–4.73) | 0.40 | |
| No of biological causes indicated | ||||
| None/one | 81.9 (663/810) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Two/three | 90.6 (742/819) | 1.51 (0.73–3.11) | 0.27 | |
| ‘Antidepressants are the best treatment’ | ||||
| Disagree/strongly disagree | 73.1 (474/648) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Not sure | 92.4 (620/671) | 2.10 (0.70–6.31) | 0.19 | |
| Agree/strongly agree | 96.7 (319/330) | 2.65 (1.17–6.03) | 0.02 | |
| Adverse effect severity score | ||||
| Score >20 | 73.1 (474/648) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| Score 11–20 | 92.4 (620/671) | 2.63 (1.21–5.73) | 0.02 | |
| Score 0–10 | 96.7 (319/330) | 12.1 (3.84–28.4) | <0.001 | |
| Chemical/placebo belief | ||||
| >50% placebo | 70.7 (53/75) | <0.001 | 1.0 | |
| 50% chemical/50% placebo | 88.7 (173/195) | 2.49 (0.78–7.97) | 0.12 | |
| >50% chemical | 96.3 (1152/1196) | 3.06 (1.10–8.53) | 0.03 | |
*
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.