Association of age, sex, educational level, marital status, self-reported anxiety, and depression with health care utilization

Abstract

Introduction: Mental illness is a global concern, with approximately 280 million people experiencing depression and 7.3% of the population affected by anxiety. People with anxiety often experience fear that affects their daily functioning, while individuals with depression may feel lonely and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. Various factors contribute to anxiety and depression, impacting an individual's willingness to seek help. This cross-sectional study examines the relationship between these factors and self-reported anxiety and depression with healthcare utilization. <p>

<p>Materials and Methods: Data was taken from Tromsø7, which gathered data from 21,069 participants, all aged 40 or older, in 2015/16. After analysis, 18,296 participants were included in the study. Descriptive statistics examined the relationship between demographic variables and self-reported anxiety and depression. Additionally, a Multivariable Binary Logistic Regression model was utilized to calculate odds ratios for healthcare utilization based on demographic and exposure variables. Furthermore, a Negative Binomial Regression model was used to calculate incidence rate ratios for the count variable considering demographic and exposure variables. <p>

<p>Results: The descriptive statistics revealed that the elderly population aged 80 and above, individuals with college/university education for four years or more, and those with anxiety and depression had higher odds of utilizing mental health care services. In addition, participants with anxiety and depression had more frequent visits to psychologists. <p>

<p>Conclusion: Anxiety and depression have been linked to higher healthcare usage.