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Comparative Study
. 2004 Aug;94(8):1378-85.
doi: 10.2105/ajph.94.8.1378.

Racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms among middle-aged women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN)

Joyce T Bromberger  1 , Sioban Harlow, Nancy Avis, Howard M Kravitz, Adriana Cordal
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms among middle-aged women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN)

Joyce T Bromberger et al. Am J Public Health. 2004 Aug.

Abstract

Objectives: We examined racial/ethnic differences in significant depressive symptoms among middle-aged women before and after adjustment for socioeconomic, health-related, and psychosocial characteristics.

Methods: Racial/ethnic differences in unadjusted and adjusted prevalence of significant depressive symptoms (score >/= 16 on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression [CES-D] Scale) were assessed with univariate and multiple logistic regressions.

Results: Twenty-four percent of the sample had a CES-D score of 16 or higher. Unadjusted prevalence varied by race/ethnicity (P <.0001). After adjustment for covariates, racial/ethnic differences overall were no longer significant.

Conclusions: Hispanic and African American women had the highest odds, and Chinese and Japanese women had the lowest odds, for a CES-D score of 16 or higher. This variation is in part because of health-related and psychosocial factors that are linked to socioeconomic status.

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