Is Major Depressive Disorder More Common In Females?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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About twice as many women as men experience depression. Several factors may increase a woman’s risk of depression. Women are nearly twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Depression can occur at any age.

Which gender has a higher rate of major depression?

Depression is more than twice as prevalent in young women than men (ages 14–25 yr), but this ratio decreases with age. Indeed, starting at puberty, young women are at the greatest risk for major depression and mental disorders globally.

What is the gender ratio for diagnosis of major depressive disorder?

Major depressive disorder was assessed using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview in this national, cross-sectional survey. The female to male ratio of major depressive disorder prevalence was 1.64:1 , with n = 1766 having experienced depression (men 668, women 1098).

Who is most likely to develop major depressive disorder?

Major depression is most likely to affect people between the ages of 45 and 65 . “People in middle age are at the top of the bell curve for depression, but the people at each end of the curve, the very young and very old, may be at higher risk for severe depression,” says Walch.

Is MDD more common in males or females?

The lifetime prevalence of MDD was higher among women (7.2%) than men (4.3%). MDD was more prevalent among men and women who were divorced/separated and widowed women, as compared to those who were single.

What age group has the highest rate of depression?

The percentage of adults who experienced any symptoms of depression was highest among those aged 18–29 (21.0%), followed by those aged 45–64 (18.4%) and 65 and over (18.4%), and lastly, by those aged 30–44 (16.8%). Women were more likely than men to experience mild, moderate, or severe symptoms of depression.

What is the onset of major depressive disorder?

MDD was defined as adolescent onset (n = 166) if onset was prior to the age-17 assessment and as adult onset (n = 247) if afterward. MDD was defined as single episode (n = 179) if only one episode was reported through age 29, and recurrent (n = 205) if multiple episodes were reported.

Can you genetically inherit depression?

Depression does not have a clear pattern of inheritance in families . People who have a first-degree relative (for example, a parent or sibling) with depression appear to have a two to three times greater risk of developing the condition than the general public.

What actually causes depression?

Research suggests that depression doesn’t spring from simply having too much or too little of certain brain chemicals. Rather, there are many possible causes of depression, including faulty mood regulation by the brain, genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, medications, and medical problems .

Why are females more stressed than males?

Women more likely to be stressed than men

And they often felt that when a company cut its workforce , men who had spent time networking with senior colleagues were better positioned to retain their jobs, while women who had responsibilities to children at home were not always able to have bonded in the same way.

How does gender affect major depressive disorder?

Conclusions: Main gender differences in the clinical presentation of MDD concerned a younger age of onset , higher anxiety and lower alcohol use comorbidity and higher prevalence of atypical depression in women. These differences were accompanied by differences in health care use.

What are the odds of getting depression?

Depression is most common in ages 18 to 25 (10.9 percent) and in individuals belonging to two or more races (10.5 percent). Women are twice as likely as men to have had a depressive episode, according to the NIMH and the World Health Organization (WHO) .

How many times can you get depression?

Depression usually strikes more than once in a lifetime . For many people, it can become a chronic or lifelong illness, with several relapses or recurrences. On average, most people with depression will have four to five episodes during their lifetimes.

What is the number one cause of depression?

Research suggests that continuing difficulties – long-term unemployment, living in an abusive or uncaring relationship , long-term isolation or loneliness, prolonged work stress – are more likely to cause depression than recent life stresses.

What age group is most suicidal?

The NVDRS 2015 data showed that, among men of all races, men over 65 were the most likely to die of suicides (27.67 suicides per 100,000), closely followed by men 40–64 (27.10 suicides per 100,000). Men 20–39 (23.41 per 100,000) and 15–19 (13.81 per 100,000) were less likely to die of suicides.

Which month is the most depressing?

Blue Monday is the name given to a day in January (typically the third Monday of the month) said by a UK travel company, Sky Travel, to be the most depressing day of the year.

James Park
Author
James Park
Dr. James Park is a medical doctor and health expert with a focus on disease prevention and wellness. He has written several publications on nutrition and fitness, and has been featured in various health magazines. Dr. Park's evidence-based approach to health will help you make informed decisions about your well-being.