Elizabeth D’Amico
Tanzania
Research Article
Depression and Health Risk Behaviors: Towards Optimizing Primary Care Service Strategies for Addressing Risk
Author(s): Joan Rosenbaum Asarnow, Luis Roberto Zeledon, Elizabeth D’Amico, Anne LaBorde, Martin Anderson, Claudia Avina, Talin Arslanian, Minh-Chau Do, Jessica Harwood and Steven ShoptawJoan Rosenbaum Asarnow, Luis Roberto Zeledon, Elizabeth D’Amico, Anne LaBorde, Martin Anderson, Claudia Avina, Talin Arslanian, Minh-Chau Do, Jessica Harwood and Steven Shoptaw
Purpose: Depression and health risk behaviors in adolescents are leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality. Primary care visits provide prime opportunities to screen and provide preventive services addressing risk behaviors/conditions. This study evaluated the co-occurrence of depression and health risk behaviors (focusing on smoking, drug and alcohol misuse, risky sexual behavior, and obesity-risk) with the goal of informing preventive service strategies.
Methods: Consecutive primary care patients (n=217), ages 13 to 18 years, selected to over-sample for depression, completed a Health Risk Behavior Survey and the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children and Adolescents (DISC) depression module.
Results: Youths with DISC-defined past-year depression were significantly more likely to report risk across multiple risk-areas, Wald X2(1)=14.39, p<.001, and to.. View More»
