[01] Taryam Manal Mohamed Omran, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [02] Waleed Al Fiasal, Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [03] Hamid Hussein Y., Health Affairs Department, Primary Health Care Services Sector, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE. [04] Al Kamahi Tahsen, Dubai Statistics Center, Dubai, UAE. [05] Ali Al Salaq, Dubai Statistics Center, Dubai, UAE. [06] Ahmed Soliman Wasfy, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE.

As per WHO Global Burden of Disease Study, depression is one of the main causes of disease-related disability worldwide and accounts for a large part of the global disease burden. The study is aiming to identify the prevalence of depressive symptoms among adult population in Dubai. Dubai Household Health Survey was conducted in 2014 as a Cross-sectional, multistage, stratified, Cluster survey. Houses were visited to obtain detailed information on the different health-related issues. According to Dubai Statistical center, [9] the total population of Dubai at the end of 2014 was 2327350 (males 1613175, females 714175) (UAE 212000, Expatriates 2115350). A sample of 3716 individuals were investigated for depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms questions were one part of the household health survey questionnaire, which was composed of around 400 questions. Data were coded, entered to the computer, reviewed and analyzed using SPSS 21. The analysis was performed after data weighting. This procedure made the total number of the participants 3367 instead of 3716. The study revealed, Categories of “More than half of the days”, and “Almost every day” were encountered in 3.56% for the question about “having little interest or pleasure in doing things”, in 1.39% for the question about “feeling down, depressed or hopeless”, in 3.47% for the question about “trouble falling or staying asleep, or sleeping too much”, in 2.73% for the question about “feeling tired or having little energy”, in 3% for the question about “poor appetite or overeating”, in 0.63% for the question about “feeling bad about oneself”, in 1.37% for the question about “trouble concentrating”, in 1.39% for the question about “moving or speaking so slowly”, and in 0.09% for the question about “thoughts of better being dead”. The study concluded that Depressive symptoms are not uncommon among adult cohort group, nevertheless some of depressive symptoms are significantly highly prevalent among more than 0.09%-3.47% of adult populations of Dubai. Public health and mental health intervention programs need to be applied among population at risk to prevent further deterioration.

Screening, Depressive Symptoms, Population Based, Multicultural Environment

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