Gender differences in antidepressant use-related seasonality change in suicide mortality in Hungary, 1998-2006.

OBJECTIVES: Studies show that the seasonality of suicide (spring/early summer peak, winter low) is mainly the consequence of the seasonal incidence of depression-related suicides. The aim of the present study was to analyse the relationship between increasing antidepressant utilization and national suicide rate of Hungary between 1998 and 2006, with particular regard to seasonal patterns and gender differences. METHODS: Time trend analysis (ARIMA) had been applied to investigate the correlation between the trend of antidepressant prescription and both of suicide rates and seasonality index. RESULTS: During the 9 years of the study period there was a significant (P<0.001) correlation between the steadily increasing antidepressant prescription (113%) and continuous decline in total national suicide rate (23%) as well as both in females and males (21 and 23%, respectively), but this relationship was 8-fold stronger in males. Increasing antidepressant utilization was associated with significantly decreased seasonality of suicides only among males. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that decreasing seasonality of suicides could be a good marker of lowering rate of depression-related suicides in the population particularly among males.

Barriers of antenatal folate-supplementation: The role of depression and trait-anxiety on periconceptional folate-intake.

Abstract Objective. The aim of the research was to reveal the effect of antenatal depressive symptoms and trait-anxiety on folate supplementation. Higher levels of depression, and trait-anxiety were hypothesized to be associated with insufficient folate intake among pregnant women in early pregnancy. Methods. Level of depressive symptoms, trait-anxiety, self-esteem, social capital, self-related health, and demographic factors (age, number of siblings, marital, educational, employment, and socioeconomic-status) were established among 185 Hungarian women in the first trimester of their pregnancies. Depressive symptoms and trait-anxiety were evaluated with the Short Hungarian Version of the Beck Depression Inventory and the Hungarian version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y (STAI-Y). Results. The higher levels of both trait-anxiety and self-esteem decreased the folate-intake significantly, OR=0.925 (95%CI=0.863-0.991; P=0.026) and OR=0.897 (95%CI=0.808-0.996; P=0.041) while depressive symptoms did not have an effect on it. The lower level of education (less than 8 elementary years) had similar effects (OR=0.228 [95%CI=0.064-0.817], P=0,023). The lack of trust had a significant role too (P=0.043): those, who were distrustful with other people, also had a lower chance of supplementation (OR=0.620; 95%CI=0.390-0.986). Conclusions. The way to increase the openness towards folate-supplementation leads through the treatment of psychological disturbances and the restoration of social trust.