Status and influencing factors of depression among newly married couples

Objective To explore the status and influencing factors of depression among newly married couples,and to provide evidences for the promotion of mental health among the population.Methods Totally 1 056 newly married couples were recruited when they taking premarital medical examination in Hefei Municipal Maternal and Child Health Center.General demographic characteristics and self-rating depression status of the couples were investigated with an anonymous questionnaire survey.Results The rate of depression was 31.2%among 2 112 newly married persons.The rate of depression in the women (37.7%) was higher than that in the men (24.7%),with a significant difference (χ²=41.596,P<0.001).Higher depression rates were reported by the persons aged<25 years (36.8%),with the education of junior high school or bellow (50.6%),having monthly income of ≤1 000 RMB Yuan (47.0%),remarried (45.8%),from a single parent family (40.4%),reporting good marriage for his or her father (44.3%),and reporting bad marriage for his or her mother (40.4%).The results of multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that the prevalence of depression was associated with previous marital status (odds ratioOR=2.39 for the remarried compared to the first married)and education level (OR=0.30 for those with higher education compared to with lower education) among the male newly married people;the prevalence of depression was associated with education level (OR=0.33 for those with higher education compared to with lower education),monthly income (OR=0.37 for those with monthly income of more than 4 000 Yuan compared to less than 1 000 Yuan),and family structure (OR=2.16 for those form a single-parent family compared to from a nuclear family) among the female newly married people.Conclusion There are gender differences in the influence factors of depression among newly married couples and more attentions should be paid to mental health of newly married females with lower education level.