Childhood adversities are associated with depression as well as increased somatic morbidity.

The Health and Social Support (HeSSup) is a prospective survey of the Finnish working-aged population. Altogether 83 % of the participants of the 1998 survey responded to the second survey five years later (n=19,629). The BDI was used to measure depressiveness and physical illnesses were inquired by asking about physician diagnosed illnesses. Other variables include history of depression, social support, alcohol consumption, negative affectivity, adversities in childhood family, and a checklist of 19 life events.

Among women with childhood adversities the risk of depressiveness was significantly increased after a recent life event (1.81-fold). After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, smoking, alcohol consumption, social support, negative affectivity, baseline cardiovascular morbidity and person dependent life events the risk was still significant (1.48-fold). Among men the respective associations were a bit stronger as risk of depressiveness was 2.11-fold and after adjustments 1.84-fold. Recent life events did not increase risk of cardiovascular disease after recent life events among women and men after adjustments were made. Interestingly, in an analysis by type of recent events violence greatly increased risk of depressiveness and cardiovascular disease among men even after adjustments were made (OR=26.2, 95%CI: 6.99-96.1 and 23.6, 4.61-120.6, respectively) if one had childhood adversities.

Especially experienced violence was associated both to depressiveness and onset of cardiovascular disease. Violence cannot be considered to be fully independent of the person, but according to the adjustments made, impulsiveness probably does not explain the findings.