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

Abstract #117481

Hope Tiesman, MSPH¹, Corinne Peek-Asa, PhD², Craig Zwerling, MD, PhD, MPH², Ann M. Stromquist, PhD³, Nancy Sprince, MD, MPH⁴, and Paul Whitten, MA². (1) Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, 100 Oakdale Campus, Iowa City, IA 52242, 319-621-2983, hope-tiesman@uiowa.edu, (2) Injury Prevention Research Center, University of Iowa, 100 Oakdale Campus, #124 IREH, Iowa City, IA 52242, (3) Keokuk County Rural Health Study, University of Iowa, College of Public Health, Iowa City, IA 52242, (4) Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Iowa, 138 IREH, 100 Oakdale Campus, Iowa City, IA 52242

Purpose: Depression is a highly prevalent disease, especially in rural areas. Cross-sectional analyses have demonstrated a relationship between depression and injury, yet the direction of this relationship is not well understood. We analyzed data from a population-based prospective cohort study to determine if depression is a predictor of future injury.

Methods: The Keokuk County Rural Health Study, based in Iowa, is a prospective cohort study of health status that includes injury outcomes. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 1,585 adults between 1999 and 2003. Symptoms of depression were measured using a standardized tool (the shortened CES-D). Follow-up phone calls were made periodically following the clinic visit to measure injury incidence in cohort members. We performed univariate analyses and logistic regression analysis to measure the risk of depression on injury incidence.

Results: Two-hundred and thirty-four participants (17.4%) had depressive symptoms at the time of the clinic visit. There were 111 participants currently receiving treatment for depression and of these, 97.3% were receiving only an anti-depressant. Those with depressive symptoms were at a significant increased risk for any follow-up injury (RR=1.56, 95%CI=1.11-2.18) and for a severe follow-up injury (RR=1.49, 95%CI=1.04-2.13). This risk persisted when controlling for gender, age, and previous injury history (RR=1.59, 95%CI=1.13-2.24).

Conclusion: Preliminary findings suggest that persons with depressive symptoms are at a significant increased risk for a future injury. Injury prevention messages and interventions should be appropriately tailored to high-risk groups, including people with depression.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognize the main objectives of the Keokuk Rural Health Study related to injury prevention.
• Identify the role of depression in rural injury.
• Develop future prospective studies examining the interaction between mental health and injury.

Keywords: Depression, Rural Health

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