Association between water insecurity and depressive symptomatology in Mexican adults

Objective. To analyze the association between water insecurity (WI) and the presence of depressive symptomatology (DS) in the Mexican population aged 20 years and over. Materials and methods. We analyzed information from 11 806 adults and participants of Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutricion 2022 (Ensanut 2022). We used the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) and the Depression Scale of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies (CESD-7) to measure WI and DS, respectively. We conducted multinomial logistic regression models adjusted by confounding variables. Results. WI is associated with the presence of DS in Mexican adults (odds ratio [OR]=1.5; p<0.001). The adjusted prevalence of DS was 6.1 points higher in people with WI. Other factors associated with DS, in the presence of WI, were: being female (OR=2.0; p<0.001), being separated or divorced (OR=1.5; p=0.001), not having any schooling (OR=2.9; p<0.001), belonging in the low tercile of well-being conditions (OR=1.3; p=0.005) and to have 60 or more years (OR=3.5; p<0.001). Conclusion. Waterrelated problems affect the mental health of the population. Monitoring mental health andWI is relevant in projects where water plays a key role, such as poverty reduction, economic development, and climate change mitigation.