Gender differences in depression: symptom patterns, risk factors, and etiology

Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject Medicine - Pathology, grade: 1,3, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Institut fur Medizinische Biometrie, Epidemiologie und Informatik), course: Epidemiology of chronic diseases, language: English, abstract: Marked gender differences with respect to the prevalence and symptoms of depression have been observed for years. The aim of this selective review is to give a rather broad and comprehensive overview of the topic by looking at gender differences in depression from various angles, including symptom patterns and measurement, risk factors, course of disease, and etiology in both children and adults. Important findings of the last two years are described and discussed, including recommendations for further research and health care practice.