What is it about?
There is reason to believe that some forms of depression are light sensitive, leading to an expectation that depression may be more common in the winter months in northern climates. However, this has not bee confirmed in epidemiological studies. Indeed most studies have found negative results. A likely explanation is small sample sizes. We therefore sought to examine the seasonal pattern using very large data sets.
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Why is it important?
Some health services are seasonal - devoting more resources at the times of year when there is greatest need (e.g. influenza vaccination programs). Depression may be in the same category - this study was needed to find this out. A clear seasonal pattern of variation was identified, with approximately 50% more depression in the winter than summer months.
Perspectives
Aside from the question of seasonal affective disorders (which are characterized by characteristic times of onset and remission of depression) the burden of depression in Canada is much greater in the winter months.
Professor Scott B Patten
University of Calgary
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Seasonal variation in major depressive episode prevalence in Canada, Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, January 2016, Cambridge University Press,
DOI: 10.1017/s2045796015001183.
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