6533b85afe1ef96bd12b9839
RESEARCH PRODUCT
No changes in mood with the seasons: observations in 3000 chronic pain patients.
H. U. GerbershagenJ. Hardtsubject
Malemedicine.medical_specialtyLightCross-sectional studyPainCONSECUTIVE SAMPLESurveys and QuestionnairesEpidemiologymedicineHumansPsychiatryDepression (differential diagnoses)Pain MeasurementRetrospective StudiesPsychiatric Status Rating ScalesChronic painSeasonal Affective DisorderMiddle Agedmedicine.diseasePredictive valuehumanitiesPsychiatry and Mental healthAffectMoodPain ClinicsChronic DiseaseFemaleSeasonsPsychologydescription
Objective Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and the theory of the effect of light on depression have gained some popularity in recent years. Research on epidemiology is largely based on retrospective measures asking explicitly for the experience of seasonal variations. Those measures have a low positive predictive value and do not enable us to distinguish between experience and belief. Method A consecutive sample of chronic pain patients filled out a depression questionnaire (CES-D) routinely as part of the diagnostic interview on becoming in-patients at a Pain Clinic in Mainz during a 5-year period. Results No support for seasonality or light effects was found. Conclusion The effect of light on depression or seasonality may be smaller than expected in general. SAD as a true disorder is probably rare.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-10-08 | Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica |