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State-level women's status and psychiatric disorders among US women.
- Source :
- Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology; Nov2011, Vol. 46 Issue 11, p1161-1171, 11p
- Publication Year :
- 2011
-
Abstract
- Purpose: Although greater gender equality at the state-level is associated with fewer depressive symptoms in women after controlling for individual-level confounders, the extent to which state-level women's status is related to psychiatric disorders in women and gender differences in psychopathology has never been examined. We examined these associations in the current report. Methods: We used data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions ( n = 34,653), a national probability sample of US adults. Respondents completed structured diagnostic assessments of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders. We used generalized estimating equations to examine associations between four state-level indicators of women's status (political participation, employment/earnings, social/economic autonomy, and reproductive rights) and odds of 12-month mood and anxiety disorders among women. We also tested whether women's status predicted the magnitude of gender differences in psychiatric disorders. Results: State-level political participation, employment/earnings, and social/economic autonomy were unrelated to odds of 12-month mood and anxiety disorders among women. However, the prevalence of major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder was lower in states where women have greater reproductive rights (OR 0.93-0.95), controlling for individual-level risk factors. None of the women's status indicators predicted gender differences in mood and anxiety disorder prevalence. Conclusions: State-level women's status was largely unrelated to mood and anxiety disorders in women or to gender differences in these disorders. Investigation of social factors that play a role in shaping the distribution of individual-level risk factors that are associated with gender disparities in psychiatric disorders represents an important avenue for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 09337954
- Volume :
- 46
- Issue :
- 11
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 66549879
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-010-0286-z