Gender and the association between mental disorders and disability

Abstract

Background: Prior data, especially population data, on gender differences in the association between mental disorders and disability are very sparse and therefore earlier conclusions that women with mental disorders are more disabled than men may be premature. The aim of this study was to determine whether gender moderates the associations between 30 day mood, anxiety and substance use disorders and self-reported 30 day disability in five domains of functioning, in a general population sample.

Methods: Nationally representative face-to-face household survey of New Zealanders (n=7435) aged 16 years and older, with a response rate of 73.3%. Mental disorders were measured with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI 3.0). Health-related disability was measured in all participants with a version of the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS-II).

Results: Men with either mood or anxiety disorders (aggregated into one category) reported significantly more Role, Social and Cognitive disability than did women with those disorders. There were no gender differences in the associations between mental disorders and the Mobility or Self-Care disability domains, nor were there gender differences in the associations between substance use disorders and any disability domain.

Limitations: The temporal direction of the association between mental disorders and disability is unknown. Disability is measured by self-report only, which is affected by insight.

Conclusions: Men with emotional disorders experience disproportionately greater role, social and cognitive disability than women with these disorders. More needs to be understood about how to engage and retain men in mental disorder treatment.