Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #109983

Karen J. Ayala, BASW, Health Support Services, Winnebago County Health Department, 220 S. Madison Street, Third Floor, Rockford, IL 61104, 815-720-4310, kayala@wchd.org, Randi K. Stouffer, PharmD, School of Public Health, University of Illinois- Chicago, 220 S. Madison Street, Third Floor, Rockford, IL 61104, and May Nawal Lutfiyya, PhD, Family and Community Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1601 Parkview Avenue, Rockford, IL 61107.

Abstract Introduction: Depression represents the most prevalent mental health condition experienced by adults in the United States. Further depression is the second most common chronic condition encountered in general medical practice. This study sought to determine if depression impacted women's utilization of specific recommended preventive health services. Methods: 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data were analyzed using univariate, bivariate and multivariate techniques. For the bivariate and multivariate analyses depression was the dependent variable. Results: Significant results yielded that those women who were depressed had greater odds of having a household income <$5,000 (OR 1.08); having foregone health insurance because of cost at least once in the past 12 months (OR 2.01); and perceiving their health as being fair to poor (OR 3.65). This same population had lesser odds of having a primary care provider (OR.590); having graduated from high school (OR .342); receiving recommended cholesterol screenings (OR .613); PAP tests (OR .654); mammograms (OR .920); and a blood stool test (OR .851). Finally, they were less likely to have exercised within the past 30 days (OR .366). Conclusion: Self-reported depressed women were significantly less likely to receive recommended preventive health screenings and participate in health seeking behavior. Our study provides clear evidence supporting the need for medical providers together with public health providers to address the issue of depression as a potential barrier to women receiving recommended preventive health care.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, a learner will be able to

(
• Identify specific health-related characteristics of women who self-report depression in the U.S.; (2)Articulate a beginning understanding of the statistical association between women's self-report of depression and their self-report of preventive health care; (
• Create at least 2 preliminary strategies of addressing women's depression as an issue that could result in disparate health outcomes within their own agency.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation