Table 2

Differences in clinical characteristics between different recruitment sources

	Recruitment source												Statistics
	(1) Clinical			(2) Internet forum			(3) Insurance			(4) Other			Between groups
Clinical characteristics	n	Mean	SD	n	Mean	SD	n	Mean	SD	n	Mean	SD	df	F	p
PHQ-9	105	10.06	2.60	171	10.21	2.44	271	10.40	2.39	466	10.30	2.38	3,1009	0.57	0.635
PHQ-9 suicidality item	105	1.30	0.48	171	1.23	0.45	271	1.21	0.41	466	1.27	0.46	3,1009	1.91	0.127
SF-12 PH	102	46.42	9.52	169	46.83	9.91	262	47.64	9.06	456	48.05	9.44	3,985	1.25	0.291
SF-12 MH	102	30.11	6.96	169	31.39	8.45	262	31.49	7.34	456	31.51	7.69	3,985	0.99	0.398
FEP-2	105	2.93	0.47	171	2.99	0.47	271	2.92	0.46	466	2.918	0.45	3,1009	1.08	0.357
HRSD	105	17.47	7.49	171	17.49	7.58	271	16.14	7.47	466	16.73	7.41	3,1009	1.48	0.219
Diagnosis	n	n	%	n	n	%	n	n	%	n	n	%	df	χ²	p
Dysthymia	105	33	31.4	171	77	45.0	271	100	36.9	466	166	35.6	3	6.49	0.090
Depressive episode		36	34.3		47	27.5		75	27.7		132	28.3		1.90	0.594
More than five episodes		36	34.3		66	38.6		99	36.5		192	41.2		2.62	0.453
Panic d/o (WSQ)		40	38.1		47	27.5		75	27.7		159	34.1		6.68	0.083
Social phobia (WSQ)		46	43.8		80	46.8		127	46.9		221	47.4		0.45	0.930
Alcohol use d/o (WSQ)		4	3.8		6	3.5		11	4.1		31	6.7		4.16	0.245
Resource use	n	n	%	n	n	%	n	n	%	n	n	%	df	χ²	p
General practitioner	105	92	87.6	171	141	82.5	271	240	88.6	466	397	85.2	3	3.70	0.295
Psychiatrist		44	41.9		72	42.1		57	21.0		139	29.8		28.67	<0.001
Psychotherapist		52	49.5		73	42.7		73	26.9		155	33.3		22.58	<0.001
Neurologist		20	19.0		38	22.2		39	14.4		62	13.3		8.76	0.033
Inpatient psychiatry		19	18.1		15	8.8		14	5.2		29	6.2		20.35	<0.001
Sick leave days		40.13	66.68		29.99	53.54		15.72	36.41		20.15	43.40	3,1009	8.81	<0.001

FEP-2, broad self-rated symptom measure covering dimensions ranging from general well-being to interpersonal relationships; HRSD, clinician-rated depression severity; PHQ-9, self-rated depression severity; SF-12 PH, physical health related quality of life; SF-12 MH, mental health related quality of life; WSQ, web screening questionnaire for mental disorders.