Sex differences in event-related risk for major depression
Abstract
Background. This study sought to determine if women are more likely than men to experience an episode of major depression in response to stressful life events. Method. Sex differences in event-related risk for depression were examined by means of secondary analyses employing data from the Americans' Changing Lives study. The occurrence and time of occurrence of depression onset and instances of stressful life events within a 12-month period preceding a structured interview were documented in a community-based sample of 1024 men and 1800 women. Survival analytical techniques were used to examine sex differences in risk for depression associated with generic and specific stressful life events. Results. Women were approximately three times more likely than men to experience major depression in response to any stressful life event. Women and men did not differ in risk for depression associated with the death of a spouse or child, events affecting their relationship to a spouse/partner (divorce and marital/love problems) or events corresponding to acute financial or legal difficulties. Women were at elevated risk for depression associated with more distant interpersonal losses (death of a close friend or relative) and other types of events (change of residence, physical attack, or life-threatening illness/injury). Conclusion. Stressful life events overall, with some exceptions among specific event types, pose a greater risk for depression among women compared to men.
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Insufficient social support and stressful life events pose a greater risk for depression among women compared with men.
“insufficient social support and stressful life events have been found to pose a greater risk for depression among women compared with men.26, 27”
From Association of depressive disorders, depression characteristics and antidepressant medication with inflammation (2012) · cites this paper as [27]
Women are up to three times more likely than men to develop major depressive disorder in response to a stressful event.
“Women are up to three times more likely than men to develop major depressive disorder in response to a stressful event (Maciejewski, Prigerson, & Mazure, 2001)”
From Gender Differences in Emotion Regulation: An fMRI Study of Cognitive Reappraisal (2008) · cites this paper as Maciejewski, Prigerson, & Mazure, 2001
In those with chronic HCV infection, anxiety and depression are more common in women than in men.
“In conclusion, in those with chronic HCV infection, anxiety and depression were more common in women than in men [48].”
From Effect of Caffeine Consumption on the Risk for Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders: Sex Differences in Human (2020) · cites this paper as [48]
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- Authors
- MACIEJEWSKI, P. K., PRIGERSON, H. G., & MAZURE, C. M.
- Affiliations
- Yale University (US)
- Venue
- Psychological Medicine
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2001-05
- Volume
- 31
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 593-604
- ISSN
- 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8978
- OpenAlex
- W2074057702
- Cited by
- 277
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 17 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 6 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 10 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 15.33
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- major depressive disorder, sex differences, life events, depression onset, women, interpersonal loss, divorce, marital problems, financial hardship, life-threatening illness, Americans' Changing Lives Study
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Middle Aged, Risk Factors, Sex Factors, Stress, Psychological
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