Depression and neuroticism decrease among women but not among men between 1976 and 2016 in Swedish septuagenarians

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychiatry
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Investigating birth-cohort variations in mental health provides insights into generational changes in well-being.
• Understanding trends in depressive symptoms and neuroticism is crucial for public health initiatives targeting aging populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine birth-cohort differences in depressive symptom burden, depression diagnoses, and neuroticism among Swedish 70-year-olds.
• To analyze changes in these mental health indicators between 1976 and 2016 across different birth cohorts.

Main Methods:

• A repeated cross-sectional design was employed, analyzing four representative population samples of 70-year-olds in Sweden.
• Data were collected between 1976-77, 1992-93, 2000-02, and 2014-16 using identical methodologies.
• Depressive symptoms (Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale), depression diagnoses (DSM-5/DSM-IV-TR), and neuroticism (Eysenck Personality Inventory) were assessed.

Main Results:

• Women in the 2014-16 cohort showed lower depressive symptom burden and neuroticism compared to earlier cohorts.
• The prevalence of any depression diagnosis was lower in the 2014-16 cohort compared to 2000-02 and 1992-93 cohorts for women.
• Men exhibited no birth-cohort differences in depression, but lower neuroticism was observed in the 2014-16 cohort compared to 1976-77.

Conclusions:

• Depressive symptom burden and neuroticism have decreased among 70-year-old women between 1976 and 2016.
• The study highlights a decline in depressive symptoms and neuroticism in women over successive birth cohorts, suggesting potential improvements in mental health or related factors in older age.