Socioeconomic factors, severity of depressive symptomatology, and sickness absence rate in the Hungarian population

We analysed the relationships between socioeconomic factors, severity of depressive symptomatology, and sickness absence rate in an active (working and studying) population of 20,902 persons representative of the Hungarian population over the age of 16 by age, sex, and place of residence. The severity of depression was very closely correlated with sick leave. Hierarchical log linear analysis was performed to investigate the interactive effects of socioeconomic factors, severity of depressive symptomatology, and sickness absence rate. Material socioeconomic factors such as housing situation, access to a car, and owning properties had no direct impact on sick leave, unless mediated by the effect of depression. All of the measured socioeconomic factors, with the exception of place of residence, were closely connected with depressive symptomatology, and depression appeared to mediate between socioeconomic factors and higher sickness absence rate. A vicious circle might be hypothesized between depression and a socially deprived situation, which plays a significant causal role in ill health.