Pieter Dudal1, Piet Bracke2. 1. Department of Sociology, HeDeRa (Health and Demographic Research), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. pieter.dudal@ugent.be. 2. Department of Sociology, HeDeRa (Health and Demographic Research), Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To investigate (1) the size of absolute and relative educational inequalities in depression, (2) their variation between European countries, and (3) their relationship with underlying prevalence rates. METHODS: Analyses are based on the European Social Survey, rounds three and six (N = 57,419). Depression is measured using the shortened Centre of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Education is coded by use of the International Standard Classification of Education. Country-specific logistic regressions are applied. RESULTS: Results point to an elevated risk of depressive symptoms among the lower educated. The cross-national patterns differ between absolute and relative measurements. For men, large relative inequalities are found for countries including Denmark and Sweden, but are accompanied by small absolute inequalities. For women, large relative and absolute inequalities are found in Belgium, Bulgaria, and Hungary. Results point to an empirical association between inequalities and the underlying prevalence rates. However, the strength of the association is only moderate. DISCUSSIONS: This research stresses the importance of including both measurements for comparative research and suggests the inclusion of the level of population health in research into inequalities in health.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate (1) the size of absolute and relative educational inequalities in depression, (2) their variation between European countries, and (3) their relationship with underlying prevalence rates. METHODS: Analyses are based on the European Social Survey, rounds three and six (N = 57,419). Depression is measured using the shortened Centre of Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Education is coded by use of the International Standard Classification of Education. Country-specific logistic regressions are applied. RESULTS: Results point to an elevated risk of depressive symptoms among the lower educated. The cross-national patterns differ between absolute and relative measurements. For men, large relative inequalities are found for countries including Denmark and Sweden, but are accompanied by small absolute inequalities. For women, large relative and absolute inequalities are found in Belgium, Bulgaria, and Hungary. Results point to an empirical association between inequalities and the underlying prevalence rates. However, the strength of the association is only moderate. DISCUSSIONS: This research stresses the importance of including both measurements for comparative research and suggests the inclusion of the level of population health in research into inequalities in health.
Entities:
Keywords:
Comparative research; Depressive symptoms; Educational inequalities; Europe
Authors: Johan P Mackenbach; Vivian Bos; Otto Andersen; Mario Cardano; Giuseppe Costa; Seeromanie Harding; Alison Reid; Orjan Hemström; Tapani Valkonen; Anton E Kunst Journal: Int J Epidemiol Date: 2003-10 Impact factor: 7.196