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Is sex necessarily a risk factor to depression?
T Harris1, P Surtees, J Bancroft
1Department of Social Policy and Social Administration, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, London.
Summary
This study found no significant sex differences in depressive episodes, suggesting social factors, not biological ones, may explain higher depression rates in women. Further research on social determinants is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Sociology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Depressive disorders show a higher prevalence in women compared to men in general population studies.
- The specific determinants contributing to this observed sex difference remain incompletely understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate potential determinants of the increased prevalence of depressive disorders in women.
- To examine the role of social factors versus biological factors in sex differences in depression.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study of men and women initially similar in social determinants of depression.
- Utilized the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) for DSM-III and RDC diagnoses of lifetime depressive disorders.
- Corroborative reports were used to establish data accuracy.
Main Results:
- No significant sex differences in the occurrence of lifetime depressive episodes were found.
- The study sample did not exhibit major social role divergence over the five-year follow-up period.
Conclusions:
- The absence of a sex difference in depression within this study suggests biological factors may be less relevant than previously assumed.
- Findings support the hypothesis that social factors play a key role in determining the female preponderance of depression observed in broader population studies.