The Santé publique France Barometers are periodic surveys, conducted since 1992, designed to gain a better understanding of the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of people living in France in order to develop legitimate and effective interventions. These surveys are based on interviews with representative samples of the population. Respondents are selected at random.

In 2017, the Santé publique France Barometer measured the prevalence of diagnosed depressive episodes among adults aged 18 to 75 (Léon et al., 2018) and described it by socio-professional category and sector of activity.

Learn more:

• Léon C, Chan Chee C, du Roscoät E; the 2017 Health Barometer group. Depression in France among 18- to 75-year-olds: results of the 2017 Health Barometer. Bull Epidémiol Hebd. 2018;(32-33):637-44.

• Gigonzac V & Delézire P, Khireddine-Medouni I, Chérié-Challine L. Depression in the employed working-age population in France in 2017. 2017 Health Barometer. Bull Epidémiol Hebd. 2018;(32-33):645-52.

In March 2020, Santé publique France launched the CoviPrev survey to track changes in behavior (precautionary measures, lockdown, alcohol and tobacco use, diet, and physical activity) and mental health (well-being, symptoms of anxiety and depression) among the general population. Several rounds of quantitative surveys on independent samples of 2,000 people have since been conducted using self-administered questionnaires completed online.

This is a survey conducted in 2005 among the general population that focused specifically on depression. Representative of people aged 15 to 75 living in metropolitan France, this cross-sectional survey was conducted by telephone with 6,498 participants (following a random sample selection).

Objectives:

• to estimate the prevalence of depression in France;

• to explore the various sociodemographic factors associated with depression, the use of healthcare services, and the general population’s perceptions of this mental health disorder.

For more information: Chan Chee C, Beck F, Sapinho D, Guilbert P. Depression in France. Anadep 2005 Survey. Saint-Denis: National Institute for Prevention and Health Education; 2009. 203 p.

Conducted among 500 pregnant women aged 18 and older living in mainland France, the Covimater survey examined their experiences of lockdown and the implementation of protective measures, changes in prenatal care and their interactions with healthcare professionals, as well as their mental health before and during lockdown.

The analyses of this survey, to be published in 2021, will provide valuable insights into the key factors influencing the adoption of protective measures and mental health among pregnant women during lockdown, helping to identify targets and levers for intervention.

This study was conducted in partnership with Avicenne Hospital in Bobigny, Sorbonne Paris Nord University, Inserm, the University of Tours, the National Center for Resources and Resilience (CN2R), the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences (EHESS), the National Observatory for Child Protection (ONPE) in partnership with the Loir-et-Cher Departmental Council, the Lab School Network, the CNRS, and with support from the French Hospital Federation Fund (FHF).

The CONFEADO study aims to assess children’s emotional state and resilience during lockdown and the subsequent easing of restrictions based on their living conditions during this period, and to identify potential post-traumatic stress disorder in affected children whose family members were hospitalized due to COVID-19.

Conducted after the lockdown period (between June 9 and September 14, 2020), the study surveyed 1,153 children aged 5 to 13 and 4,102 adolescents aged 14 to 20 (including 3,100 girls) and one of their parents. The questions focused on how they experienced this period, the strategies they implemented to cope, and the impact of their living conditions on their mental health.

The COVID-19 pandemic spread unevenly across the country, disproportionately affecting certain areas already marked by social inequalities in health. Santé publique France sought to explore this issue further by examining the daily lives of families in lockdown in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis, an area where the virus circulated extensively and where excess mortality was high.

What was happening within families? For the children? How did each person cope with this situation emotionally and socially? How did they deal with the loss of income? What were their views on prevention, and how did they anticipate situations? What role did they assign to professionals in the social and health sectors?

The socio-anthropological study, CovSa Familles 93, conducted by Santé publique France, aimed to understand the impact of social determinants on people’s experiences and morale, and to examine the strategies implemented by families.

These surveys have been conducted every three years by the Directorate for Research, Studies, Evaluation, and Statistics (Drees) since the 1999–2000 school year. They are conducted alternately in the final year of preschool, the second year of elementary school (CM2), and the ninth grade.

Objectives: to regularly and repeatedly assess children’s health issues: overweight, respiratory problems, everyday accidents, allergies, and hearing impairments.

The prevalence of major depressive episodes among adolescents in ninth grade was estimated during a survey conducted in 2003–2004. The national sample included 7,110 students with an average age of 15.1 years.

Learn more:

• Chan Chee C, Guignon N, Delmas MC, Herbet JB, Gonzalez L. Estimation of the prevalence of depressive episodes among adolescents in France. Rev Epidemiol Santé Publique 2012;60(1):31-9.

• Delmas MC, Guignon N, Chan Chee C, Fuhrman C, Herbet JB, Gonzalez L. Asthma and major depressive episodes in adolescents in France. J Asthma 2011;48(6):640-6.

The Anaïs pilot study (Diet, Nutritional Status, and Mental Health of Older Adults in Care Facilities) was conducted in 2010 by Santé publique France.

Objectives: to assess the feasibility of a survey designed to describe, in metropolitan France, the nutritional status, mental health, and medication use of older adults living in long-term care facilities.

Conducted in six long-term care facilities in the Indre-et-Loire department, this pilot study identified the most significant barriers to conducting such a survey:

• the low acceptance rate among guardians;

• the limited availability of staff at the surveyed facilities;

• the extreme vulnerability of residents in long-term care units, making data collection difficult.

For more information: Vernay M, Szego E, Deschamps V, Chan-Chee C. Anais - 2010 Feasibility Study. Diet, Nutritional Status, and Mental Health of Older Adults in Care Facilities. Saint-Maurice: Institute for Health Surveillance - University of Paris 13; 2012. 31 p.

The Samenta survey (Mental Health and Substance Use Among People Without a Permanent Home in the Île-de-France Region), conducted in 2009 by the Paris Social Emergency Medical Service Observatory and the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) with support from Santé publique France, was carried out among homeless individuals in the Île-de-France region.

Objectives:

• to estimate the prevalence of psychiatric disorders and addictions in this specific population;

• to study the social trajectories of people suffering from these disorders, their living conditions, and their use of healthcare services, in order to identify ways to improve the provision of healthcare and housing support.

Learn more:

• Anne Laporte, Pierre Chauvin. Samenta: Report on Mental Health and Addictions Among People Without Personal Housing in the Île-de-France Region. Samu Social Observatory, pp. 227, 2004. ⟨inserm-00471925⟩

• Website of the Paris Samu Social Observatory. http://observatoire.samusocial-75.fr/index.php/fr/nos-enquetes/samenta

• Chan Chee C, Guedj M, Review of the survey methodology and comparison of MINI results with clinical assessments. Samenta Symposium, Paris, October 2011. [oral presentation]

• Chan Chee C. Oral presentation of results at the European Psychiatric Association Congress, Epidemiology and Social Psychiatry Section, June 2010.

Objective: To describe the care provided to patients with mood or anxiety disorders in healthcare facilities authorized to provide psychiatric care in mainland France, based on data from the national database for the collection of medical information in psychiatry (RIM-P).

Two studies were thus conducted:

• The first study focused on all individuals hospitalized or treated on an outpatient basis in facilities authorized to provide psychiatric care between 2010 and 2014 for whom bipolar disorder or a depressive disorder was noted as the primary or associated diagnosis.

• The second study focused on all individuals hospitalized or treated on an outpatient basis in facilities authorized to provide psychiatric care between 2010 and 2014 and for whom at least one anxiety disorder was noted as a primary or associated diagnosis.

Learn more:

• Chan Chee C, Badjadj L. Management of patients with anxiety disorders between 2010 and 2014 in facilities licensed for psychiatric care in metropolitan France: analysis of RIM-P data. Bull Epidémiol Hebd. 2018;(32-33):653-61.

• Badjadj L, Chan Chee C. Management of mood disorders in facilities licensed for psychiatric care between 2010 and 2014 in mainland France. Analysis of RIM-P data. Bull Epidémiol Hebd. 2017;(10):178-85.

The Samotrace survey was conducted between January 2006 and March 2008, with the participation of 110 volunteer occupational physicians from the Centre, Poitou-Charentes, and Pays de la Loire regions. They formed a sample of 6,056 employees, 57% of whom were men. The prevalence of psychological distress was measured using the “General Health Questionnaire - 28” (GHQ-28), developed by Goldberg and Hillier in 1978, to screen for psychiatric disorders or minor psychological disorders in the general population or among patients seeking care in non-psychiatric settings. The GHQ-28 questionnaire consists of items assessing symptoms related to four domains: depression, anxiety and insomnia, social maladjustment, and somatization.

Learn more:

• Cohidon C, Murcia M. Samotrace - "Workplace Epidemiology" Component: Interim Results at One Year (3,000 Questionnaires). Centre, Pays de la Loire, and Poitou-Charentes Regions. Saint-Maurice: Institute for Health Surveillance; 2007. 4 p.

• Cohidon C, Arnaudo B, Murcia M. Mental distress and the psychosocial environment at work: initial results of the Samotrace program, workplace component, France. Bull Epidémiol Hebd 2009;(25-26):265-9.

• Cohidon C, Rabet G, Murcia M, Khireddine-Medouni I, Imbernon E. Monitoring mental health in the workplace – The Samotrace program. Workplace component. Centre, Pays de la Loire, and Poitou-Charentes regions, 2006–2008. Saint-Maurice: Santé publique France; 2016. 134 p.

Occupational diseases (ODs) are defined as any illness that may be work-related but is not recognized as an occupational disease by a social security system. Santé publique France and the Occupational Health Inspection have established a surveillance program based on a network of volunteer occupational physicians and their teams who report, twice a year for two consecutive weeks (known as “MCP Fortnight”), all ODDs encountered during their medical visits with employees. Eight French regions are participating in this program: Brittany, Centre-Val de Loire, Guadeloupe, Grand-Est, Hauts-de-France, Martinique, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, and Pays de la Loire.

Objective: to estimate the prevalence of conditions deemed by occupational physicians to be work-related, particularly psychological distress.

A specific component addressing the health crisis was added to the program following the end of the March 2020 lockdown, with the aim of identifying cases of psychological distress associated with occupational exposure related to the health crisis (teleworking, isolation, continued on-site work, partial unemployment, etc.).

Learn more:

• Khireddine I, Lemaître A, Homère J, Plaine J, Garras L, Riol MC, et al; MCP Group 2012. Work-related psychological distress among active employees in France between 2007 and 2012, based on the MCP program. Bull Epidémiol Hebd. 2015;(23):431-8.

• MCP - Data by fortnight, by year, and by region

To improve the epidemiological surveillance of occupational risks in France, Santé publique France has established a system for monitoring work-related health issues: the Coset program. This program helps identify occupations and working conditions that pose health risks, quantifies the impact of occupational factors on the health of the workforce, and provides recommendations for prevention. The Coset program covers workers covered by the three main social security schemes in place in 2017, the year of its national launch.

• COSET-MSA for members of the agricultural scheme;

• COSET-Indépendants for members of the social protection scheme for the self-employed;

• For employees covered by the General Scheme, the COSET program draws on data collected from the Constances cohort, conducted by the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin and Inserm in collaboration with the CnamTS.

Main objective: to better describe and monitor the links between occupational factors and the onset of health problems, including mental health issues.

For each of the Coset cohorts, a group of working individuals is selected at random from the computer databases of the relevant scheme. Among these individuals, 27,000 volunteers participate in Coset-MSA and approximately 20,000 in Coset-Indépendants and will be followed over time. Participants are periodically asked to complete an online questionnaire to track changes in their health status and employment situation.

In 2020, a specific “Coset-Covid” survey was launched among workers to study the impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic on people’s health and professional situation.

Learn more:

• Khireddine-Medouni I, Rabet G, Deschamps G, Geoffroy-Perez B. Prevalence of depressive symptoms and exposure to psychosocial occupational factors among workers affiliated with the Mutualité sociale agricole in five departments in 2010: results from the pilot phase of the Coset-MSA cohort. Bull Epidémiol Hebd. 2019;(7):128-36.

• Geoffroy-Perez B, Chatelot J, Santin G, Bénézet L, Delézire P, Imbernon E. Coset: a new general-purpose tool for the epidemiological surveillance of occupational risks. Bull Epidémiol Hebd. 2012;(22-23):276-7.