psychosocial factors for depression in upper and upper-middle class urban women of Karachi

ABSTRACT

To estimate the frequency of depressive disorder in upper and upper-middle class urban women in Karachi and to identify the psychosocial factors of depressive disorders in these women. Cross-sectional descriptive survey. The study was conducted at the Psychiatric Clinic and Stress Research Centre, which is a private practice clinic located in Defence, a high socioeconomic status area. The duration was from January 2000 to December 2004.consultations. Complete information about the patients was obtained from their case history files. This information consisted of the patient's demographic characteristics, diagnosis and biological or psychosocial factors of depressive illness. Only patients from upper and upper-middle class were selected in the study.A total of 835 patients were diagnosed with depressive disorders. 33% were male patients and 67% were female patients. In single women, parental conflicts [4.3%], conflicts with boyfriends [3.3%], adjustment problems [2.3%], and father's alcohol abuse were the basic factors linked with their depression. In married women, marital conflicts [31%], bereavement [9.8%], domestic violence [3.6%], work stress [3.2%], daughter's marriage [1.3%], traumatic experiences [.7%] were found to be associated with their depression. The results that women in upper and middle class presenti ng to a private facility suffer from depressive disorders twice as much as the males. The psychological factors associated with depression in this group are mainly related to the marital and role conflicts in domestic sphere of life