Keren Ladin1. 1. Harvard School of Public Health; Mannheim Research Institute for the Economics of Aging (MEA), Universität Mannheim, 68131 Mannheim, Germany. kladin@post.harvard.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Assess influence of education and noneducation-based measures of socioeconomic status on depression, illuminating the cumulative and income-adjusted effects cross-nationally. METHOD: Cross-sectional study of 22,777 men and women (50 to 104 years) from 10 European countries. Individual-level data were collected from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). RESULTS: Educational attainment was a strong predictor of late-life depression across all countries. Depression rates ranged from 18.10% in Denmark to 36.84% in Spain, reflecting a North- South gradient. Odds of depression were approximately twice as high among adults with less than a high school education compared with those of greater educational background (p < .001). Inverse association between educational attainment and depression remained significant independent of all other sociodemographic variables. DISCUSSION: Socioeconomic disparities in depression persist throughout later life. Variation in impact of education on depression cross-nationally illuminates need for future research into the protective effects of early-life education.
OBJECTIVE: Assess influence of education and noneducation-based measures of socioeconomic status on depression, illuminating the cumulative and income-adjusted effects cross-nationally. METHOD: Cross-sectional study of 22,777 men and women (50 to 104 years) from 10 European countries. Individual-level data were collected from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). RESULTS: Educational attainment was a strong predictor of late-life depression across all countries. Depression rates ranged from 18.10% in Denmark to 36.84% in Spain, reflecting a North- South gradient. Odds of depression were approximately twice as high among adults with less than a high school education compared with those of greater educational background (p < .001). Inverse association between educational attainment and depression remained significant independent of all other sociodemographic variables. DISCUSSION: Socioeconomic disparities in depression persist throughout later life. Variation in impact of education on depression cross-nationally illuminates need for future research into the protective effects of early-life education.
Authors: Laura J Julian; Chris Tonner; Ed Yelin; Jinoos Yazdany; Laura Trupin; Lindsey A Criswell; Patricia P Katz Journal: Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) Date: 2011-04 Impact factor: 4.794
Authors: Deirdre M O'Shea; Robert A Fieo; Jamie L Hamilton; Laura B Zahodne; Jennifer J Manly; Yaakov Stern Journal: Int J Geriatr Psychiatry Date: 2014-08-22 Impact factor: 3.485