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The relationship between childhood poverty, military service, and later life depression among men: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study
- Source :
- Journal of affective disorders. 206
- Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Background Childhood poverty has been associated with depression in adulthood, but whether this relationship extends to later life major depression (MD) or is modified by military service is unclear. Methods Data come from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2010 wave, a longitudinal, nationally representative study of older adults. Men with data on military service and childhood poverty were included (N=6330). Childhood poverty was assessed by four indicators (i.e., parental unemployment, residential instability) experienced before age 16. Military service was categorized as veteran versus civilian, and during draft versus all-volunteer (after 1973) eras. Past year MD was defined by the Composite International Diagnostic Inventory. Results Four in ten men ever served, with 13.7% in the all-volunteer military. Approximately 12% of civilians, 8% draft era and 24% all-volunteer era veterans had MD. Childhood poverty was associated with higher odds of MD (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.38, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.32–4.32) and higher odds of military service (OR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.58–4.21). Military service was marginally associated with MD (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 0.98–1.68) and did not moderate the association between childhood poverty and MD. Limitations Self-report data is subject to recall bias. The HRS did not assess childhood physical and emotional abuse, or military combat exposure. Conclusions Men raised in poverty had greater odds of draft and all-volunteer military service. Early-life experiences, independent of military service, appear associated with greater odds of MD. Assessing childhood poverty in service members may identify risk for depression in later life.
- Subjects :
- Gerontology
Male
Military service
Article
Odds
Life Change Events
03 medical and health sciences
0302 clinical medicine
Recall bias
Odds Ratio
Medicine
Humans
030212 general & internal medicine
Psychological abuse
Poverty
Depression (differential diagnoses)
Aged
Veterans
Depressive Disorder, Major
business.industry
Odds ratio
Health and Retirement Study
Middle Aged
Health Surveys
United States
Psychiatry and Mental health
Clinical Psychology
Military Personnel
Adult Survivors of Child Adverse Events
Female
Self Report
business
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 15732517
- Volume :
- 206
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of affective disorders
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....74b4dcca4fed456dd590c13956e7cfde