Loneliness & Depression: An Urban Syndrome?

Context: Depression and loneliness are distinct yet mutually reinforcing phenomena. Considering the current transitional state of society and growing urban city, the question of urban-rural differences in feelings of depression and loneliness appears to be a serious, but neglected one. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the variations (if any) in subjective feelings of loneliness and depression across habitat (urban versus rural). Settings and Design: The sample comprised of 320 adults (160 male and 160 female) aged 20 to 38 years, among which there were two groups : the clinical group, which comprised of 160 adults (80 males and 80 females) suffering from Major Depressive Disorder and the non-clinical group, which comprised of 160 adults ( 80 males and 80 females) not suffering from any psychiatric disorder. Each group had 80 urban residents and 80 rural residents. The clinical and non-clinical groups were matched on the basis of age, education and socio-economic status. Methods and Materials: Data was collected using Beck Depression Inventory, R-UCLA Loneliness Scale. GHQ-28 was used to screen out psychiatric morbidity and select participants for the non-clinical group. Statistical Analysis: Descriptive statistical analysis and analysis of variance was conducted to see if the urban and the rural group differed significantly in their subjective feelings of depression and loneliness. Results and Conclusions: Results showed that urban participants had significantly higher subjective feelings of loneliness as well as depression than their rural counterparts, both in non-clinical and clinical groups.