Characteristics of depression in obese people living in an insecure environment.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and depression are significant characteristics of people living in a state of chronic stress. PURPOSE: Our aim was to determine the characteristics of depression in obese people living in an insecure unstable environment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The case-control study was organized in two rural environments in Kosovo and Metochia, Serbia. The main criterion for selection of participants was that respondents were more than 18 years old and had a body mass index of 25 kg/m 2 or more. Other anthropometric parameters determined were body weight, height, body fat mass, hip and waist circumference and the waist/hip ratio. The sex, demographic characteristics, profession, marital status, social status, existence of comorbidity, and cigarette smoking habits were recorded, and the arterial blood pressure measured for all participants. In the form of an interview, all respondents answered 17 questions, based on the Hamilton scale for depression. RESULTS: The group of depressed patients was dominated by women (P = 0.009). A significant difference (P = 0.007) was found in relation to profession. Depression was significantly more frequent in those without a regular income (P < 0.001). Depressed patients were significantly older (P = 0.017), more obese (P = 0.04), shorter (P = 0.0001), had a larger hip circumference (P = 0.039) and WHR index (P = 0.049) compared to patients in whom depression was not established. CONCLUSIONS: Depression is a significant characteristic in people living in an insecure environment, more common in women, without a permanent financial income.

[Mortality in laryngeal cancer in Belgrade 1982-1991]. / Smrtnost od raka larinksa u Beogradu 1982-1991. godine.

The paper reviews data on mortality caused by larynx cancer in Belgrade from 1982 to 1991. The gathered results indicate that larynx cancer was the cause of death in 2.01% on average of all deceased of all kinds of malignant tumors (3.17%, male 0.67% female), while it makes 8.18% of the deceased of malignant tumors of the respiratory tract (9.5% male, 5.21% female). The standardized mortality rates during the 10 year period occurred in 1.84 to 3.05 cases per 100,000 inhabitants (2.60%/100000 average). In males the rates were from 3.65 to 6.01%/100000 (4.91%/100000 average) and in females from 0.32 to 1.13%/100000 (0.69%/100000 average). The specific mortality rates according to age were extremely low up to the age of 44, then an abrupt increase happens, while the occurrence of the highest values is present in the oldest group. The mortality trend concerning larynx cancer during the ten year period points to the fact that there is a slight decrease as well in males (y = 5.02-0.02x) as in females (y = 1.06-0.07x).