Gender Differences In Depressive Symptoms Research Articles

COVID-19 and depressive symptoms among older adults in South Korea

This study analyzed the effects of COVID-19 and gender differences in depressive symptoms in older adults using data from the 7th (2018) and 8th (2020) surveys of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging. A panel two-way-fixed effects model was used to control for individual fixed effects and time effects. A 0.1% point increase in the intensity of COVID-19 was associated with an average increase of 1.5 points out of 10 on the Center of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, 10-item version (CES-D10) among older adults. The increase in depression was greater among women. Depressive factors due to COVID-19 among older adults are more likely to be related to negative emotions or interpersonal relationships than to physical and behavioral decline. Depression prevention policies for older adults should be informed by these gender differences. While older men require assistance with instrumental activities of daily living such as housework, meal preparation, etc., older women should be provided with online socialization opportunities to interact with others.

Gender differences in depressive symptoms of first-year university students during the COVID-19 pandemic

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Unter Studierenden sind depressive Symptome weit verbreitet, wobei weibliche Studierende häufiger davon betroffen sind als männliche. Vorherige Forschung zeigt einen Anstieg der Prävalenz depressiver Symptome in den ersten Semestern. Die COVID-19-Pandemie („coronavirus disease 2019“) könnte diesen Trend verschärft haben. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht deshalb, ob genderspezifische Unterschiede in der depressiven Symptomatik von Studienanfänger*innen während der COVID-19-Pandemie fortbestehen und ob ein Unterschied in der depressiven Symptomatik von Studienanfänger*innen und fortgeschrittenen Studierenden vorliegt. Methode Die depressive Symptomatik von Studienanfänger*innen und fortgeschrittenen Studierenden wurde mithilfe des PHQ-2 (Patient Health Questionnaire‑2) ermittelt sowie untersucht, ob ein genderspezifischer Unterschied vorliegt. Ergebnisse Depressive Symptome wiesen 30 % der Studienanfänger*innen auf. Die Prävalenz war mit 32 % bei weiblichen Studienanfängerinnen höher als bei ihren männlichen Kommilitonen (25 %). Es zeigen sich weder genderspezifische Unterschiede bei Studienanfänger*innen noch (genderspezifische) Unterschiede zwischen Studienanfänger*innen und fortgeschrittenen Studierenden. Schlussfolgerung Studierende berichteten häufig depressive Symptome, ein genderspezifischer Unterschied zeigte sich aber nicht. Sowohl bei männlichen als auch bei weiblichen Studierenden unterschied sich die Prävalenz nicht zwischen Anfangs- und fortgeschrittener Studienzeit. Frühzeitige Interventionen in der Studieneingangsphase und die Anpassung von Studienbedingungen sind in Anbetracht der hohen Prävalenz für die psychische Gesundheit Studierender wichtig.

Gender differences in depressive symptoms of older U.S. adults: A role for inflammatory biomarkers

Gender differences in depressive symptoms of older U.S. adults: A role for inflammatory biomarkers

Gender differences in depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults based on fairlie decomposition analysis

This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing depressive symptoms among Chinese older adults based on gender differences. Data from the eighth wave of Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey were used. We analyzed the influencing factors of depressive symptoms reported by older adults using the chi-squared test and logistic model. Fairlie decomposition analysis was performed to quantify the contribution level of each influencing factor. We found that 11.71 % of older adults met the CES-D-10 criteria for depressive symptoms. Females (13.89 %) reported a significantly higher level of depressive symptoms than males (9.24 %). Age, residence, sleeping time, exercise, activities of daily living functional disability, instrumental activity of daily living functional disability, and living status influenced depressive symptoms in older adults. Higher education and lower body mass index were only significant in male, whereas middle annual income and exercising were significant only in female. The Fairlie decomposition model explained the reasons for 75.64 % of the gender differences in depressive symptoms, with instrumental activity of daily living functional disability (33.60 %), age (−17.79 %), and education level (17.41 %) being major factors affecting gender differences in depressive symptoms. This is the first nationwide study to examine gender differences in depressive symptoms among older adults. These results provide a basis for relevant Chinese government departments to formulate policies to prevent and control depressive symptoms.

Turning to friends in preference to parents for support in early adolescence: does this contribute to the gender difference in depressive symptoms?

IntroductionBased on established evidence of gender differences in friendship patterns, and the vulnerability associated with early reliance on friends, we hypothesized that in 13-year-olds, a preference for turning to friends rather than parents for emotional support contributes to the gender difference in depressive symptoms.MethodsUsing a cross-sectional design, 671 adolescents (53.7% girls; mean age 13.11 ± 0.52 years) in a UK birth cohort [Wirral Child Health and Development Study (WCHADS)] reported turning to their parents and to their friends when distressed [Network of Relationships Inventory (NRI)] and depressed [Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ)]. Preferentially turning to friends was assessed as turning to friends minus turning to parents for support. Analyses used path analysis using the gsem command in Stata.ResultsGirls had higher depressive symptoms than boys (p < .001). Consistent with the hypotheses, girls had higher scores than boys for preferentially turning to friends (p < .001). Preferentially turning to friends was associated with higher depressive symptoms (p < .001), and this mediated the gender difference in depressive symptoms (p < .001). The association between preferentially turning to friends and depressive symptoms was stronger for girls than for boys (p = .004).ConclusionsIn young adolescents, preferentially turning to friends over parents when distressed is common, and the association between preferentially turning and depressive symptoms is markedly higher in girls than in boys. This reflects either a gender difference in social vulnerability to depression or a greater impact of depression on the reliance on friends instead of parents in girls. While clarifying the directions of influence requires prospective study, these findings provide the first evidence that the assessment of depression in young adolescents should consider the degree of reliance on friends and parents.

Gender Differences in Depressive Symptoms Following Child Death in Later Life.

This study examined short- and long-term psychological adjustment to parental bereavement in later life for mothers and fathers. Using 9 waves of data from the United States (1998-2014 Health and Retirement Study), I estimated trajectories of mothers' and fathers' depressive symptoms surrounding child death in later life, highlighting gender differences in adjustment. Moderation analyses were performed to uncover heterogeneous trajectories across parental characteristics. Mothers were more likely to experience child death and reported higher depressive symptoms prior to parental bereavement than fathers. Mothers and fathers who lost a child reported an increase in depressive symptoms that diminished over time. The short-term elevation in depressive symptoms was marginally greater for mothers than fathers, but depressive symptoms declined at a faster rate for mothers than fathers in the years following the death. These counterbalancing changes resulted in mothers and fathers returning to their respective prebereavement levels of depressive symptoms between 2 and 4 years postbereavement. Parental age moderated trajectories distinctly by gender, and the presence of surviving children buffered the impact of child death on depressive symptoms for mothers but not fathers. Mothers more often experience child death in later life and their adjustment process differs from that of fathers, underscoring the salience of gender in shaping how older parents respond to the death of a child. Older parents and mothers without surviving children are vulnerable to prolonged elevations in depressive symptoms following the death of a child in later life.

Predicting the gender difference in depressive symptoms in older adults

Objectives: The gender difference in depressive symptoms in older adults is well-established, with women exhibiting approximately twice as many depressive symptoms as men across the life span. However, almost no studies have explored why we see this pattern in older adults. Method: In this study, moderation, mediation and reverse mediation analyses were used to learn how gender differences in psychosocial and health variables contribute to the gender difference in depressive symptoms in 60–74 year old participants in the baseline sample of the ORANJ BOWL study (n = 3008). Results: Moderation analyses show that functional ability, health, social support, and living alone interact with gender to predict depressive symptoms. Mediation analyses demonstrate that gender differences in financial comfort, social support, health, functional ability and living alone help explain the gender difference in depression. Reverse mediation analyses show that depressive symptoms also predict the gender difference in psychosocial and health variables. Conclusion: While the moderation analyses show multiple points of entry for clinical implications, they do not provide clarity that explains the gender difference in depressive symptoms. Mediation analyses highlight the roles of functional ability, financial comfort, health and living alone in explaining the gender difference. Reverse mediation analyses suggest a negative feedback loop between depressive symptoms and the predictor variables, with gender differences in functional ability, financial comfort, health and living alone at least partially explained by gender differences in depression. The findings highlight opportunities for targeted depression screening and to identify the gender inequities that need attention in order to reduce disadvantages for women.

Sex and gender differences in depressive symptoms in older workers: the role of working conditions

BackgroundFemale older workers generally leave the work force earlier than men. Depressive symptoms are a risk factor of early work exit and are more common in women. To extend working lives, pathways leading to these sex inequalities need to be identified. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of sex and gender with depressive symptoms in older workers, and the role of working conditions in this association.MethodsWe used data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (2012–2013/2015–2016, n = 313). Our outcome was depressive symptoms, measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. We included biological sex, a gender index ranging from masculine to feminine (consisting of six items measuring gender roles: working hours, income, occupation segregation, education, informal caregiving, time spent on household chores), and working conditions (physical demands, psychosocial demands, cognitive demands, autonomy, task variation, social support) in our models. We examined the differential vulnerability hypothesis, i.e., sex/gender moderates the association between working conditions and depressive symptoms, and the differential exposure hypothesis, i.e., working conditions mediate the association between sex/gender and depressive symptoms.ResultsFemale sex and feminine gender were both associated with more depressive symptoms. The differential vulnerability hypothesis was not supported by our results. We did find that femininity was negatively associated with autonomy and task variation. In turn, these working conditions were associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Thus, autonomy and task variation partially mediated the association between gender and depressive symptoms, supporting the differential exposure hypothesis. Mediation effects for sex inequalities were not significant.ConclusionsOlder female workers and older feminine workers have more depressive symptoms than their male/masculine counterparts. Autonomy and task variation appeared to be important in – partially – explaining gender differences in depressive symptoms rather than sex differences. By improving these conditions, gender inequality in mental health among older workers can be reduced, so that both genders have similar chances to reach the retirement age in good mental health.

Explaining Gender Differences in Depressive Symptoms Among Caregivers of Older Patients With Critical Illness

The aging of baby boomers makes caring for the elderly an increasingly important topic. As rising cost of health care, the care for seriously ill patients has gradually shifted from hospitals to families, particularly in the countryside. Along with growing demand for informal care, informal caregivers are at increased risk of depression. The aim of this study was to explore the potential protective factors or risk factors associated with depressive symptoms of caregivers for patients with critical illness (45 to 93 years of age) across gender groups, explain their different pathways of influence, and elucidate targeted measures to improve their outcomes (N=518). Results from the statistical model showed that the paths of effect from care needs to caregiver depressive symptoms differed between male and female informal caregivers. Care needs were not significantly associated with depression symptoms among informal caregivers, for either men or women. Care hours of more than 12 hours per day and financial difficulties at home are risk factors for depressive symptoms in caregivers, with significance of OR=3.42; 95%CI,1.97 to 5.94; P=0.000 and OR=2.98; 95%CI, 1.46 to 6.05; p=0.003, respectively. For male caregivers, years of caregiver education and the feel relied upon by relative's were both protective factors, whereas Job-Caregiving conflict, was a risk factor (P<0.05). For female caregivers, caregiver burden and higher caregiver age were its risk factors (P<0.05). These important findings demonstrate that to be effective in reducing depressive symptoms among informal caregivers, both cointerventions and triage interventions by gender are warranted.

Gender differences in depressive symptoms and perception of need of mental health services

Abstract Background Women are more likely than men to use mental health services use (MHS) when depressed. Gendered presentations of depression may contribute to explain this gender gap. This study aims to identify depression symptom profiles among men and women and to understand their relationship with perception of MHS need. Methods We used data from the 6th Portuguese National Health Survey, with 3,807 participants fulfilling criteria for mild, moderate or severe depression (scoring 5 or more in Personal Health Questionnaire-8). We used latent-class analysis to identify classes of depressive symptoms (using 8 symptoms from PHQ), separately for men and women. Afterwards, we characterized the needs perception (during previous year), by latent class. Results Latent classes identified among men were “Mood and somatic symptoms” (50.6%), “Severe depression” (32.9%), and “Somatic symptoms” (16.5%). Perception of need was low among those with more prominent somatic symptoms (8.1%), and higher for those with severe depression (42.4%). Among women, latent classes were “Mood and somatic symptoms with low self-esteem” (47.8%), “Severe depression” (26.9%), and “Somatic symptoms” (25.3%), and. Less than half (43%) of those with severe depression reported need of MHS, compared to 25.5% of those with mood, somatic and self-esteem struggles and 11.2% with somatic symptoms. Conclusions Less than half severely depressed men and women recognized the need for MHS. Somatic symptoms were less associated to needs perception, particularly among men. The need perception is generally low, even in case of severe depression, while gendered symptom profiles may impact MHS help-seeking behaviours. Key messages Depression is presented differently among men and women and that may impact mental health service help-seeking behaviours. While the need perception for mental health services is generally low, somatic symptoms were less associated to needs perception, especially among men.

Gender differences in depressive symptoms of rural Chinese grandparents caring for grandchildren

BackgroundCaring for grandchildren is regarded as one of the principle roles of middle- and old-aged adults, especially among rural Chinese grandparents. This study aims to examine the gender differences in depressive symptoms of rural Chinese grandparents caring for grandchildren, based on the gender differences in grandparental role engagement and the theories of role strain and role enhancement.MethodsA total of 4833 rural citizens with one or more grandchildren were selected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) conducted in 2015. Grandchild care was measured by continuous variable (duration) and categorical variable (no care, low intensity, moderate intensity, high intensity). Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). We used coarsened exact matching (CEM) to balance the covariates of caregivers and non-caregivers. Following CEM, 1975 non-caregivers and 2212 caregivers were identified (N = 4187). Multilevel linear regression was employed to examine the gender differences in depressive symptoms. We also tested for the moderating role of gender on the association between grandchild care and depressive symptoms.ResultsGrandmothers were more likely to provide grandchild care (54.42% vs 51.43%) at high intensity (61.46% vs 51.01%), with longer duration (39.24 h vs 33.15 h) than that given by grandfathers. Grandmothers suffered more from depressive symptoms than grandfathers, and such gap increased when grandparents were involved in high-intensity care. Grandmothers providing grandchild care, particularly at moderate intensity, were associated with fewer depressive symptoms (Coef. = − 0.087, 95%CI: − 0.163, − 0.010; Coef. = − 0.291, 95%CI: − 0.435, − 0.147), compared with non-caregivers. Grandmothers giving moderate intensity of grandchild care were also associated with fewer depressive symptoms (Coef. = − 0.171, 95% CI: − 0.313, − 0.029), compared with those with low-intensity care. However, such associations were not significant among grandfathers.ConclusionsOur findings highlight the gender differences in depressive symptoms of rural Chinese grandparents caring for grandchildren. Grandparents should be encouraged to engage in grandchild care, but at moderate intensity. The health status of middle- and old-aged adults, particularly females, should be monitored closely. Humanistic care, preventive care and curative treatment strategies focusing on such populations should be developed and refined.

Gender Differences in Disease, Function, and Behavioral Symptoms in Residents with Dementia.

The purpose of this study was to consider gender differences in depressive symptoms, agitation, resistiveness to care, physical function, and use of psychotropic medications in older adults with moderate to severe dementia in nursing homes. Sixty-seven nursing homes and 889 residents from two states were included. The majority of the participants were female (n = 640, 72%) and White (n = 618, 70%) with a mean age of 86.58 years (SD = 10.31). Differences by gender with regard to age, physical function, depressive symptoms, agitation/aggression, and resistiveness to care were tested using multivariate analysis of variance. Older females with moderate to severe dementia present with more depressive symptoms (anxiety, sadness, and somatic complaints) than males. Males present with more aggressive behavior and are more likely to receive anticonvulsants. Caregivers should focus on preventing and managing depressive symptoms including anxiety, sadness, and somatic complaints among older females and aggressive behavior in older males with dementia.

Role of Gender in Improvement of Depressive Symptoms Among Patients Undergoing Cervical Spine Procedures.

ObjectiveThere is a scarcity of research evaluating gender differences in depressive symptoms among patients undergoing cervical surgery. This study investigated gender differences with regard to depressive symptom severity, measured by Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), in patients following anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) or artificial disc replacement (ADR). MethodsA prospectively maintained surgical registry was retrospectively reviewed for eligible spine surgeries. Depressive symptom severity was evaluated by PHQ-9 at both preand postoperative timepoints (e.g. , 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years). A chi-square test and Student t-test evaluated differences between the gender for demographic and operative variables where appropriate. Differences between the gender subgroup mean PHQ-9 scores were assessed using a t-test pre- and postoperatively (e.g. , 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year) and a paired t-test was used to assess differences from preoperative scores at each postoperative time point. ResultsA total of 170 subjects underwent 125 ACDFs and 45 ADRs. Both pre- and postoperative timepoints demonstrated no significant differences between mean PHQ-9 scores by gender. Female patients demonstrated statistically significant improvement in PHQ-9 scores at 6 weeks, and 12 weeks, but not through 2 years. Male patients demonstrated statistically significant improvement in PHQ-9 scores at 6 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years. ConclusionAlthough there were no significant differences between mean PHQ-9 score between the genders, there was a difference in magnitude of improvement. Females had a significant improvement in depressive symptom severity over baseline at the 6- and 12-week timepoints only, whereas males had significant improvement through 2 years postoperatively.

Psycho-social factors associated with high depressive symptomatology in female adolescents and gender difference in adolescent depression: an epidemiological survey in China\u2019s Hubei Province

BackgroundExploring etiological clues to adolescent depression, especially in female adolescents, might be helpful to improve the social environment of female adolescents. The aim at this study is to explore psycho-social factors of female adolescents with high depressive symptomatology and gender differences in depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents.MethodWe examined 4100 adolescents from Wuhan city and Jianli county via a cross-sectional study. Depressive symptomatology was screened through the Chinese version of Center for Epidemiology Studies Depression Scale. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to explore the factors related to high depressive symptomatology in female and male adolescents, respectively.ResultsThe prevalence of high depressive symptomatology in female and male were 38.9 and 30.2% respectively. The psycho-social factors of high depressive symptomatology in female adolescents were age (Adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.201, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.076 ~ 1.341), single parent family (aOR = 2.004, 95%CI, 1.448 ~ 2.772) and fathers’ education level (compared to primary school and below, [Junior middle school, aOR = 0.641, 95%CI, 0.439 ~ 0.934; Senior middle school, aOR = 0.603, 95%CI, 0.410 ~ 0.888; College degree and above, aOR = 0.639, 95%CI, 0.437 ~ 0.936]).ConclusionFathers’ education level was associated with high depressive symptomatology in female adolescents. Female adolescents whose father with primary school education or below deserves more attention. Further epidemiologic researches need to be conducted to explore the different risk factors between female and male adolescents in China.

A cross-sectional gender-sensitive analysis of depressive symptoms in patients with advanced cancer

Background: Patients with advanced cancer commonly report depressive symptoms. Examinations of gender differences in depressive symptoms in patients with advanced cancer have yielded inconsistent findings. Aim: The objective of this study was to investigate whether the severity and correlates of depressive symptoms differ by gender in patients with advanced cancer. Design: Participants completed measures assessing sociodemographic and medical characteristics, disease burden, and psychosocial factors. Depressive symptoms were examined using the Patient Health Questionnaire, and other measures included physical functioning, symptom burden, general anxiety, death related distress, and dimensions of demoralization. A cross-sectional analysis examined the univariate and multivariate relationships between gender and depressive symptoms, while controlling for important covariates in multivariate analyses. Setting/participants: Patients with advanced cancer (N = 305, 40% males and 60% females) were recruited for a psychotherapy trial from outpatient oncology clinics at a comprehensive cancer center in Canada. Results: Severity of depressive symptoms was similar for males (M = 7.09, SD = 4.59) and females (M = 7.66, SD = 5.01), t(303) = 1.01, p = 0.314. Greater general anxiety and number of cancer symptoms were associated with depressive symptoms in both males and females. Feeling like a failure (β = 0.192), less death anxiety (β = –0.188), severity of cancer symptoms (β = 0.166), and older age (β = 0.161) were associated with depressive symptoms only in males, while disheartenment (β = 0.216) and worse physical functioning (β = 0.275), were associated with depressive symptoms only in females. Conclusions: Males and females report similar levels of depressive symptoms but the pathways to depression may differ by gender. These differences suggest the potential for gender-based preventive and therapeutic interventions in this population.

Gender Differences in Depressive Symptoms and Work Environment Factors among Dairy Farmers in Japan.

Dairy farmers are more likely than nonfarmers to experience high demands and are at risk of mental health problems. However, there is scarce evidence on the current state of psychological health and related factors among dairy farmers, and the knowledge of potential gender differences is limited. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of depressive symptoms assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and its association with work environment characteristics and to identify gender differences. Data were collected from 273 dairy farmer participants (169 males and 104 females) in Japan. Females were more likely to be depressed, and young and middle-aged women appeared to be at risk of depression. For both genders, a demanding work environment was related to depression. There were some gender differences; for example, worries about the harmful effects of pesticides on health and the balancing of family roles and work roles were related to depression in men, while worries about one’s financial situation and the health status of livestock were associated with depression in women. Females benefited from support through direct interaction, while males benefited from involvement in social activities. These findings will contribute to the development of a gender-specific approach to promote psychological health in the dairy farming community.

Intraday weather conditions can influence self-report of depressive symptoms

The weather is arguably one of the most common topics in daily conversation. However, it is also a well-known factor in psychiatric problems worldwide such as depression, where particularly elders and females are prone to the condition. Previous studies have mostly focused on the association between long-term climate/season change and depressive symptoms to test the belief that people feel depressed when the weather is bad. Yet, little is known about the relationship between intraday weather conditions and depressive symptoms. This study aimed to decompose this association and explore age and gender differences in depressive symptoms’ report under different intraday weather conditions. We analyzed data with a total sample size of 20,987 individuals aged 15–96 years obtained via the China Labor-force Dynamic Survey (CLDS) project in 2016. The surveyors filled in the intraday weather conditions (i.e., sunny, cloudy, overcast, light rain, moderate rain, and heavy rain) in the questionnaire with depression being self-reported using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale. In the survey, 17.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) = 16.8%, 17.8%] individuals were assessed to have depressive symptoms (CES-D scores >15). Overcast day was the peak weather condition for depressive symptoms, while gender and age differences of depressive symptoms were biggest in the weather condition of moderate rain. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that female and middle-old age individuals were more likely to report having depressive symptoms, and people under overcast day were more likely to report having depressive symptoms compared to under sunny day [odds ratio (OR) = 1.25, 95%CI = 1.11, 1.39]. This intraday weather conditions-depression link was significant in males and middle-old age individuals but not in females and youngsters.

PSYCHOSOCIAL PREDICTORS OF THE GENDER DIFFERENCE IN DEPRESSION OF OLDER ADULTS IN THE ORANJ BOWL PANEL

Recent reviews show that the gender difference in depressive symptoms that emerges in adolescence persists in older adults (Girgus, Yang & Ferri, 2017; Salk, Hyde & Abramson, 2017). However, researchers have yet to explain why this gender difference occurs in older adults and if it is for the same reasons as in younger ages. The present study used data collected from 3008 participants over the age of 60 (M=66.45, SD=4.36) from the baseline wave of the ORANJ BOWL, a longitudinal study based in New Jersey (Pruchno, Wilson-Genderson, Rose, & Cartwright, 2010). Depressive symptoms were measured with the CES-D. Six psychosocial predictors of the gender difference in depression were analyzed: functional ability, social support, perceived financial comfort, income level, marital status, and living alone. Women reported significantly more depressive symptoms compared to men (p<.001). Women had significantly lower functional ability, physical health, financial comfort, income level, but more social support than men (all p’s<.02). Women were more likely to live alone and to be separated, divorced, or widowed (all p’s<.001). Significant interactions for gender x functional ability, gender x social support, and gender x living alone were found in predicting depression using hierarchical linear regression. Living alone and poor function were more detrimental for men than women. Low social support was more detrimental for women than men. Understanding the gender difference in depressive symptoms will allow for targeted screening and preventative interventions for women and men at highest risk for depression.

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS OF PATIENTS WITH END-STAGE LIVER DISEASE

Background/aims: Similar to many chronic diseases, depression is common in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD), although gender differences are less known. Understanding the burden of depression in this population may help identify at-risk patients who would benefit from early intervention. The purpose of this work, therefore, is to describe gender differences in depressive symptoms in patients with ESLD. Methods: Patient data were collected as part of a larger study (NINR: 1R01NR016017-01). Patients (≥ 21 years) diagnosed with ESLD from the outpatient hepatology clinics of two healthcare systems in Pacific Northwest completed Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: Sample included 154 participants, 101 males (65.6%), average age 57 years (SD=10.92), and 53 females (34.4%), average age 55 years (SD=11.28). More than 75% of the sample (78% females and 77% males) reported at least mild depression (PHQ score ≥ 5); mean PHQ-9 scores were higher for males (M=9.26±5.86) than females (M=9.10±5.07), but were not statistically different (U=2396, p=0.99). There was no significant relationship between depression severity and gender [X2 (4, N=147)=1.90, p=0.594]. Conclusion: Our study showed a high prevalence of depression in patients. A higher percentage of females reported mild to moderate depression and had higher clinically significant levels of depression (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10) than males, indicating females may be at a greater risk for depression. Females may, therefore, gain greater benefit from interventions to improve depressive symptoms. Future studies should examine the benefit of interventions on depression severity in this patient population.

Longitudinal associations between self-reported experiences of discrimination and depressive symptoms in young women and men post- myocardial infarction

ObjectivesResearch suggests that following a myocardial infarction (MI), women under the age of 60 have more elevated depressive symptoms and adverse outcomes than similarly aged men. Identifying risk factors that contribute to gender differences in depressive symptoms among this group may be critical to the development of psychosocial interventions. Experiences of discrimination may be an important correlate of depressive symptoms in this group; however, studies of this relationship have largely been cross-sectional and focused on healthy populations. This study examines longitudinal associations among gender, discrimination, and depressive symptoms in a young post-MI cohort. MethodsParticipants were 313 adults from the Myocardial Infarction and Mental Stress Ischemia Study 2 of young (≤60 yrs) post-MI patients. At baseline and 6 month follow-up, depressive symptoms were measured with the Beck Depression Inventory-II and discrimination was assessed with the 10-item version Everyday Discrimination scale. Linear regression models were used to assess the longitudinal association between reports of discrimination and depressive symptoms adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, psychosocial factors and health status indicators and tested for gender differences. ResultsThe mean age was 51.2, 49.6% were women, and 69.5% were African-American. Although the discrimination-by-gender interaction was marginally significant (p = .09) in the fully adjusted model, findings suggest that the association between changes in reports of discrimination and depressive symptoms over time may be more pronounced for women (β = 0.61, standard error = 0.15, p < .001) than men (β = 0.27, standard error = 0.13, p = .033). ConclusionOur findings suggest that discrimination is a risk factor for depressive symptoms in young post-MI populations over time.