ArticleBMJ mental health2025
Measuring social environment factors of inpatients and outpatients with depression in Germany: a cross-sectional study.
Article in BMJ mental health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Workplace violence, intimate partner violence, and depression in nurses: the mediating role of impostor syndrome.BMC nursing · 2026Article
- More optimistic treatment expectations are associated with better outcomes through stronger group cohesion, but not dyadic alliance: results from a naturalistic day clinic study in complex depression.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
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16 authors.
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Abstract
backgroundSocial environment characteristics, including social relationships and cultural milieus, may influence the occurrence, course and management of depression. Effective questionnaires are needed to measure these factors and improve disease management.
objectiveWe aimed to (1) evaluate the social environment, such as social isolation, social disability and social cohesion of depressed inpatients and outpatients, and (2) discuss the suitability of standardised questionnaires measuring it.
methodsThis cross-sectional study included adult patients with unipolar depression from a psychiatric hospital and general practitioner (GP) practices in Bavaria, Germany. Social isolation, disability and cohesion were measured using the
findingsAmong 282 included patients (mean age 38.8 years, SD=13.3), 69.5% were inpatients and 30.5% were outpatients. Social isolation prevalence was 52.5%. Social disability was higher in our cohort than in the general population (p<0.001). LSNS and WHODAS showed no differences between inpatients and outpatients, and suggest good clinical suitability. The SCTS showed shortcomings in applicability and comparability.
conclusionPeople with depression, whether treated in psychiatric hospitals or in GP practices, reported more social isolation and social disability than the general population. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Researchers and clinicians should monitor social aspects as potential intervention targets to support patient management. Social environment questionnaires should be selected carefully, ideally guided by guidelines or medical associations, to enhance the understanding, comparability and implementation.
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