Klerman G L
Department of Psychiatry, Cornell University Medical Center, NY.
Br J Psychiatry. 1988 Jan;152:4-14. doi: 10.1192/bjp.152.1.4.
The possibility of a rise in rates of depression among adolescents and young adults was first reported in the 1970s. Particular note was taken of the emergence of childhood depression and the increase in suicide attempts and death among adolescents and young adults. Data from large-sample family studies and community epidemiological surveys have been reviewed and reanalysed, using life-table statistical methodology. Evidence for secular trends are presented, and the problems of disentangling period and cohort effect are discussed. It appears that the 'baby boomers' - those born in the years after World War II - have had increased rates of depression and other related illnesses, including drug abuse and alcoholism. The theoretical aspects of this are discussed, particularly for gene-environment interactions.
青少年和青年中抑郁症发病率上升的可能性最早于20世纪70年代被报道。人们特别注意到儿童抑郁症的出现以及青少年和青年中自杀未遂和死亡人数的增加。使用生命表统计方法对来自大样本家庭研究和社区流行病学调查的数据进行了回顾和重新分析。文中呈现了长期趋势的证据，并讨论了区分时期效应和队列效应的问题。似乎“婴儿潮一代”——那些在二战后出生的人——患抑郁症和其他相关疾病（包括药物滥用和酗酒）的比率有所上升。文中讨论了这一现象的理论方面，特别是基因与环境的相互作用。
