Study on status of depression and related factors in soldiers at high altitude

    LIU Junª²Li1£¬2£¬ZHANG Li1

    1Center of Mental Health Education,School of Basic Medicine,Third Military Medical University,Chongqing 400038,China£¬ 2Health Professional Technology College,Qinghai Province,Xining 810001,China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the status of psychological depression and its related factors in soldiers at high altitude.METHODS: A total of 267 soldiers at high altitude were investigated with the selfª²rating depression scale (SDS),social support rating scale,the automatic thoughts questionnaire,and selfª²rating of adolescent life events.RESULTS: ¢Ù The scores of SDS of the soldiers at high altitude were significantly higher than those of normal (P<0ª±01).53ª±5% of the soldiers had no depression,53ª±8% had mild depression,42ª±9% had moderate depression and 3ª±4% had serious depression. ¢Ú SDS scores were correlated positively with the scores of automatic thoughts and life events(r=0ª±397,r=0ª±420) but negatively with the length of military service and social support (r=-0ª±151,r=-0ª±324).Their depression was not significantly related to the altitude(r=-0ª±033).¢Û The results of multiple regression analysis showed that automatic thoughts,life events,social support and the length of military service all had predictive value for depression.CONCLUSION: The soldiers at high altitude have a higher level of depression,which is related to automatic thoughts,life events,social support and the length of military service.Automatic thoughts,life events,social support and the length of military service are of direct predictive value for depression. ......