Is the US Gender Gap in Depression Changing Over Time? A Meta-Regression

Jonathan M Platt; Lisa Bates; Justin Jager; Katie A McLaughlin; Katherine M Keyes

doi:10.1093/aje/kwab002

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Is the US Gender Gap in Depression Changing Over Time? A Meta-Regression

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Is the US Gender Gap in Depression Changing Over Time? A Meta-Regression

Jonathan M Platt, Lisa Bates, Justin Jager, Katie A McLaughlin and Katherine M Keyes

American journal of epidemiology, Vol.190(7), pp.1190-1206

07/01/2021

DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab002

PMCID: PMC8484777

PMID: 33423055

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Abstract

The depression gap refers to higher rates of depression among women than men. Change in the depression gap over time might elucidate social causes of this disparity-such as unequal college attendance or employment status. We conducted a meta-regression analysis to estimate variation in the depression gap over time by age, accounting for potential sources of variation between studies. Electronic databases and bibliographies were searched for English-language studies from January 1980 through October 2019; 144 independent estimates from US-representative samples met selection criteria (n = 813,189). The depression gap was summarized as prevalence ratios among studies using diagnostic instruments and as standardized mean differences among symptom-based studies. Primary study measures were baseline study year (range, 1982-2017) and age (age groups ranging, in years, from 10-59 and 60 or older). Compared with respondents aged ≥60 years, depression prevalence was greater among respondents aged 10-19 (prevalence ratio = 1.26, 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.56). Over time, the depression gap did not change among adults, but it increased among adolescents (age-by-time interaction prevalence ratio = 1.05, 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.08). Results were similar for symptom-based studies. The present study finds no evidence of a change in the depression gender gap for US adults; however, the gap increased among adolescents. Greater attention to factors driving this widening disparity in adolescent depression is needed.

Adolescent

Adult

Child

Depression - epidemiology

Female

Health Status Disparities

Humans

Male

Middle Aged

Prevalence

Regression Analysis

Sex Factors

United States - epidemiology

Young Adult

Details

Title: Subtitle: Is the US Gender Gap in Depression Changing Over Time? A Meta-Regression
Creators: Jonathan M Platt
Lisa Bates
Justin Jager
Katie A McLaughlin
Katherine M Keyes
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: American journal of epidemiology, Vol.190(7), pp.1190-1206
DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwab002
PMID: 33423055
PMCID: PMC8484777
NLM abbreviation: Am J Epidemiol
ISSN: 0002-9262
eISSN: 1476-6256
Grant note: R01 MH106482 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 AA026861 / NIAAA NIH HHS R01 MH103291 / NIMH NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 07/01/2021
Academic Unit: Epidemiology; Injury Prevention Research Center
Record Identifier: 9984214717602771

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