Darker days? Recent trends in depression disparities among U.S. adults

Datos Bibliográficos

ID9053544
AutoresMegan A Todd (0000-0002-6973-418X, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars), Julien O Teitler (University of the District of Columbia), Julien Teitler
Año2019
Volumen89
Número6
Páginas727-735
Fecha de publicación2019-01-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessNo
TipoARTICLE
RevistaAmerican Journal of Orthopsychiatry (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0002-9432 • E-ISSN: 1939-0025
EditorialAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/ort0000370
PMID30382727
OpenAlexW2898697168
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas6
Referencias citadas18

Depression is the most prevalent mood disorder in the United States, and disparities in depressive symptoms and treatment by socioeconomic status have been well-documented. Recent evidence suggests the prevalence of depression is increasing, but less is known about time trends in disparities. Using nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, we examined patterns of depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and treatment (self-reported psychotherapy and psychopharmacology). We assessed time trends in depression disparities by educational attainment among U.S. adults 2005-2014 using logistic regression models. Among the least educated groups, the odds of moderate to severe depressive symptoms increased; for the most educated, they remained stable (women) or decreased (men). At the same time, odds of receiving treatment, conditional on being depressed, declined (women) or remained stable (men) for the least educated group, whereas treatment rates stayed steady (women) or increased (men) for the most educated. Between 2005 and 2014, overall depression prevalence increased. Despite recent policies designed to improve mental health care coverage, depression treatment rates were unable to keep pace. The least educated consistently had the highest rates of moderate to severe depressive symptoms and the lowest rates of treatment. Disparities in depression by educational attainment have persisted or worsened. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)

Depression (economics) · Educational attainment · Environmental health · Logistic regression · MEDLINE · Mental health · Mood · National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey · Odds · Odds ratio · Population · Psychiatry · PsycINFO · Socioeconomic status · Demography · Health disparities and outcomes · Internal Medicine · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Medicine · Mental Health Treatment and Access · Gerontology