Women and Children's Health Research Unit, The Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research Ltd, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
Menopause. 2012 Dec;19(12):1309-21. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e318258b1dd.
The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and correlates of depressive symptoms among Israeli midlife women from different cultural origins and to identify sociodemographic, lifestyle, psychosocial, health, and menopause status characteristics that could explain cultural differences in depressive symptoms.
Data were collected for the Women's Health in Midlife National Study in Israel, in which women aged 45 to 64 years were randomly selected according to age and ethnic/origin group strata: long-term Jewish residents (n = 540), immigrants from the former Soviet Union (n = 151), and Arab women (n = 123). The survey instrument included a short form of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale dichotomized according to a <10/≥10 cutpoint.
The crude prevalence of depressive symptoms was 17%, 39%, and 46% for long-term residents, immigrants, and Arabs, respectively. Among women aged 45 to 54 years, 46% were postmenopausal. After adjustment for sociodemographics, health and menopause status, and lifestyle and psychosocial characteristics, immigrants and Arab women were at a significantly higher risk of depressive symptoms as compared with native-born/long-term Jewish residents (odds ratio, 2.97 and 2.79, respectively). Perimenopause status, numbers of medical symptoms, being unmarried, and negative attitude to aging were positively associated with depressive symptoms, whereas social support and perceived control were associated with lower odds of depressive symptoms. These associations differed across cultural groups when analysis was stratified by study group.
Our findings demonstrate that the high level of depressive symptoms among Israeli women is related to cultural/minority status. The high risk for depressive symptoms in these minority groups calls for intervention policy to improve their mental health.
本研究旨在评估不同文化背景的以色列中年女性抑郁症状的流行率和相关因素，并确定可能解释抑郁症状文化差异的社会人口学、生活方式、心理社会、健康和绝经状况特征。
数据来自以色列中年女性健康全国研究，根据年龄和民族/原籍群体分层随机选择 45 至 64 岁的女性：长期犹太居民（n=540）、前苏联移民（n=151）和阿拉伯女性（n=123）。调查工具包括根据<10/≥10 分界点二分类的中心流行病学研究抑郁量表短表。
未经调整时，长期居民、移民和阿拉伯女性的抑郁症状粗患病率分别为 17%、39%和 46%。45 至 54 岁的女性中，46%处于绝经后状态。在调整社会人口学、健康和绝经状况以及生活方式和心理社会特征后，与土生土长的/长期犹太居民相比，移民和阿拉伯女性患抑郁症状的风险显著更高（比值比分别为 2.97 和 2.79）。围绝经期状态、医疗症状数量、未婚和对衰老的消极态度与抑郁症状呈正相关，而社会支持和感知控制与抑郁症状的低风险相关。当按研究组进行分层分析时，这些关联在不同文化群体中有所不同。
我们的研究结果表明，以色列女性的抑郁症状水平较高与文化/少数群体地位有关。这些少数群体中较高的抑郁症状风险需要采取干预政策来改善他们的心理健康。
