Mental health, colorectal cancer screening, and swimming ability in the French overseas departments: data from the 2014 DOM Health Barometer

Santé publique France has released three new sections of the 2014 Health Barometer survey for the overseas departments: mental health, colorectal cancer screening, and swimming ability. The goal is to compare the overseas departments with mainland France and to identify the factors associated with the various behaviors studied.

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Mental Health

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This section provides an overview based on the analysis of four indicators:

- diagnosed depressive disorders,- suicidal thoughts,- suicide attempts,- use of mental health services (psychotropic medications and psychotherapy).

Key findings:

  • an overall more favorable situation in the French West Indies and French Guiana than in mainland France, with a lower prevalence of depressive episodes and lifetime suicide attempts;

  • the unique situation in Réunion, with prevalence rates of depressive episodes and lifetime suicide attempts similar to those in mainland France;

  • a specific distribution of the prevalence of depressive episodes and suicidal thoughts by age in the French overseas departments, with higher prevalence rates among those aged 15–45;

  • lower rates of seeking care among people experiencing a depressive episode in the French overseas departments;

  • lower lifetime and annual use of psychotropic medications in the French overseas departments.

Colorectal Cancer Screening

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Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in 2012.

In France, since 2009, an organized colorectal cancer screening program has offered a fecal occult blood test every two years to men and women aged 50 to 74. However, this population is not very receptive to taking the test, particularly in certain French overseas departments. Gender, age, marital status, financial vulnerability, and discomfort regarding the handling of stool samples are all factors that may explain these results.

Key findings:

  • one in two people aged 50 to 74 in the French West Indies and nearly two in five in French Guiana and Réunion report having taken this test within the past two years;

  • the lack of encouragement to undergo screening and the desire not to do so remain the main reasons for not taking the test;

  • Factors associated with reporting use of this screening relate to sociodemographic, economic, or financial characteristics and healthcare utilization.

Swimming ability

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This initial estimate of swimming ability in the French overseas departments is part of the epidemiological surveillance of drowning (conducted in France for over 15 years through a system of specific surveys), one of the major causes of which is the inability to swim.

Key findings:

  • residents of the overseas departments report knowing how to swim less often (from 69% in French Guiana to 75% in Réunion) than residents of metropolitan France (81%);

  • among swimmers, 67% in Guadeloupe to 74% in French Guiana report being able to swim more than 50 meters (versus 84% in mainland France);

  • regardless of the department, women’s swimming ability is lower than men’s, particularly in Guadeloupe and French Guiana;

  • young adults are much more likely to be able to swim than their elders, though this is less pronounced in French Guiana, where more than a quarter of 15- to 24-year-olds report not knowing how to swim;

  • French Guiana has the highest number of drowning deaths, even though it is the least populous overseas department and also the one where swimming ability is lowest.

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