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

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry and Mental Health
• Epidemiology
• Sociology

Background:

• The depression gap, defined by higher depression rates in women than men, may be influenced by societal changes.
• Understanding temporal trends in this gap can offer insights into social determinants of mental health disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze changes in the gender depression gap over time across different age groups in the US.
• To identify potential age-specific trends in depression prevalence disparities between genders.

Main Methods:

• A meta-regression analysis was performed on 144 US-representative studies (n=813,189) published between 1980 and 2019.
• Data were analyzed using prevalence ratios for diagnostic instruments and standardized mean differences for symptom-based studies, examining age and study year.
• Age groups included 10-59 years and 60+ years.

Main Results:

• Depression prevalence was higher in adolescents (10-19 years) compared to older adults (≥60 years).
• The gender depression gap remained stable among US adults over the study period.
• A significant increase in the gender depression gap was observed among adolescents over time.

Conclusions:

• While the gender gap in depression is not changing among US adults, it is widening among adolescents.
• The findings underscore the need for increased focus on factors contributing to the rising disparity in adolescent depression.
• Further research is warranted to address the specific social and environmental influences driving this trend in younger populations.