Childhood intelligence and risk of depression in later-life: A longitudinal data-linkage study.
SSM Popul Health
; 25: 101560, 2024 Mar.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38077244
ABSTRACT
Background:
Lower childhood intelligence test scores are reported in some studies to be associated with higher risk of depression in adulthood. The reasons for the association are unclear. This longitudinal data-linkage study explored the relationship between childhood intelligence (at age â¼11) and risk of depression in later-life (up to age â¼85), and whether childhood family structure and adulthood socio-economic and geographical factors accounted for some of this association.Methods:
Intelligence test scores collected in the Scottish Mental Survey 1947 were linked to electronic health records (hospital admissions and prescribing data) between 1980 and 2020 (n = 53,037), to identify diagnoses of depression. Mixed-effect Cox regression models were used to explore the relationship between childhood intelligence test scores and risk of depression in later-life. Analyses were also adjusted for childhood family structure (size of family) and adulthood socio-economic and geographical factors (Carstairs index, urban/rural).Results:
Twenty-seven percent of participants were diagnosed with depression during follow-up (n = 14,063/53,037). Greater childhood intelligence test scores were associated with a reduced risk of depression in an unadjusted analysis (HR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.93 to 0.97, P < 0.001), and after adjustment for factors experienced in childhood and adulthood (HR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.91 to 1.00, P = 0.032). When identifying depression using only hospital admissions data, greater childhood intelligence test scores were associated with a reduced risk of depression following unadjusted analysis (HR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.82 to 0.90, P < 0.001), and after adjusting for risk factors in childhood and adulthood (HR = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.89 to 0.99, P = 0.026). There was no association between childhood cognitive test scores and depression when identifying cases of depression using only prescribed drugs data.Conclusions:
This study provides additional evidence suggesting that higher childhood intelligence predicts reduced risk of later-life depression only when depression is assessed based on hospital admission records. Childhood family structure and adulthood socio-economic and geographical factors did not seem to be substantial confounders.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Contexto en salud:
1_ASSA2030
Problema de salud:
1_sistemas_informacao_saude
Idioma:
En
Revista:
SSM Popul Health
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Reino Unido