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Association between iron‐deficiency anemia and depression: A web‐based Japanese investigation
Author(s) -
Hidese Shinsuke,
Saito Kenji,
Asano Shinya,
Kunugi Hiroshi
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
psychiatry and clinical neurosciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.609
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1440-1819
pISSN - 1323-1316
DOI - 10.1111/pcn.12656
Subject(s) - depression (economics) , anemia , odds ratio , medicine , iron deficiency anemia , confidence interval , distress , iron deficiency , history of depression , family history , pediatrics , psychiatry , anxiety , clinical psychology , economics , macroeconomics
Aim This web‐based survey aimed to examine the relation between iron‐deficiency anemia and depression in 11 876 Japanese participants. Methods Participants consisted of 1000 individuals with self‐reported history of depression (mean age, 41.4 ± 12.3 years; 499 women) and 10 876 population‐based controls (mean age, 45.1 ± 13.6 years; 5185 women). The 6‐item Kessler Scale (K6) score was used as a psychological distress scale. The design of the study was cross‐sectional. Results The rate of self‐reported lifetime history of iron‐deficiency anemia was higher in the depression group in both men (depression, 7.2%; control, 4.0%; P < 0.001; odds ratio [OR], 1.86; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.30–2.68) and women (depression, 33.4%; control, 25.8%; P < 0.001; OR, 1.45; 95%CI, 1.19–1.76). The K6 score in participants with self‐reported history of iron‐deficiency anemia was higher in both the depression ( P = 0.004) and control ( P < 0.001) groups. In addition, in all participants, the rate of individuals who showed a K6 cut‐off score of 13 or more was higher in those with a self‐reported history of iron‐deficiency anemia ( P < 0.001; OR, 1.47; 95%CI, 1.31–1.65). Logistic regression analyses revealed that self‐reported history of depression and the K6 score were positively associated with self‐reported history of iron‐deficiency anemia (all P < 0.01). Conclusion Self‐reported history of iron‐deficiency anemia was associated with self‐reported history of depression. Furthermore, self‐reported history of iron‐deficiency anemia was associated with higher psychological distress.