Background Persons in Arctic regions disproportionately experience depression. Knowledge gaps remain regarding factors associated with depression among adolescents in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada, where child and adolescent mental health hospitalizations are nearly 2.5 times the national rate. This study assesses correlates of depression among adolescents in the NWT. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey with adolescents aged 13–18 in 17 NWT communities. We assessed associations between socio-demographic characteristics, dating violence, food insecurity and depression, measured with the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. We conducted ordered logistic regressions to assess associations with no, mild, or moderate/severe depression scores. Results Participants (n = 399; mean age: 14.3, s.d.: 1.3) were mostly Indigenous (79%) and 45% reported food insecurity. Nearly half (47%) reported minimal/no depression symptoms, 25% mild symptoms and 28% moderate/severe symptoms. In multivariate analyses, participants who were cisgender women compared to other genders, sexually diverse v. heterosexual, and food insecure had double the odds of more severe depression symptoms. Among those dating, dating violence was associated with double the odds of moderate/severe depression symptoms. Conclusions Findings support tailored interventions to address material (food insecurity), relational (dating violence) and symbolic (gender and sexual orientation norms) contextual factors associated with depression among adolescents in the NWT.

中文翻译：

---

与加拿大西北地区北部和土著青少年抑郁症相关的背景因素

背景 北极地区的人不成比例地经历抑郁症。在加拿大西北地区 (NWT)，与青少年抑郁症相关的因素仍然存在知识差距，那里的儿童和青少年心理健康住院率几乎是全国的 2.5 倍。本研究评估了西北地区青少年抑郁症的相关性。方法 我们对 17 个西北地区社区的 13-18 岁青少年进行了横断面调查。我们评估了社会人口特征、约会暴力、粮食不安全和抑郁症之间的关联，使用 9 项患者健康问卷进行测量。我们进行了有序逻辑回归以评估与无、轻度或中度/重度抑郁评分的关联。结果参与者（n= 399; 平均年龄：14.3，sd: 1.3) 主要是土著 (79%) 和 45% 报告粮食不安全。近一半 (47%) 报告有轻微/无抑郁症状，25% 为轻度症状，28% 为中度/重度症状。在多变量分析中，与其他性别相比，顺性别女性参与者的性别多样化v. 异性恋和食物不安全的人出现更严重抑郁症状的几率加倍。在那些约会中，约会暴力与中度/重度抑郁症状的几率加倍有关。结论 调查结果支持量身定制的干预措施，以解决与西北地区青少年抑郁症相关的物质（粮食不安全）、关系（约会暴力）和象征性（性别和性取向规范）背景因素。