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Pharmaceutical Side Effects and the Sex Differences in Depression and Distress
1Department of Research & Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, Pasadena, California.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|April 12, 2022
Summary
Medication side effects, particularly from nonhormone drugs, may explain why women experience higher rates of depression and distress than men. This finding highlights the importance of considering pharmaceutical side effects in health disparities.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
- Public Health
Background:
- Women exhibit higher depression rates than men, a disparity lacking a definitive explanation.
- Investigating contributing factors beyond biological and social determinants is crucial for understanding mental health differences.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the role of medications with depression or suicidality as potential side effects in explaining the observed sex difference in depression.
- To determine if pharmaceutical side effects contribute to the higher prevalence of depression in women.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 224,810 U.S. adults from the 2008-2018 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.
- Utilized linear and logistic regressions to assess sex differences in distress and depression, controlling for sociodemographics, healthcare access, health conditions, and medication use.
- Specifically evaluated the impact of medications with depression or suicidality as a side effect.
Main Results:
- Women were more likely to use medications with depression/suicidality side effects (41% vs. 27% for depression; 28% vs. 17% for suicidality).
- After adjusting for medication side effects, the statistically significant sex differences in distress and depression became nonsignificant.
- Nonhormone medications with these side effects were identified as key contributors to the sex disparity in distress and depression.
Conclusions:
- Significant sex differences in pharmaceutical treatment and the impact of medication side effects on distress and depression were observed.
- Pharmaceutical side effects are a critical, yet often overlooked, factor in understanding sex-based health disparities in mental health.
- Highlights the need for clinicians to consider potential medication side effects when assessing and treating depression, particularly in women.
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