Depressed women at increased risk of premature death - Know why

New Delhi: Women with depression are at a risk of premature death because of the pressure caused by changing societal roles and multiple responsibilities, a study has revealed.

Depression is one of the most common and most petrifying problems that women go through. For those who are unaware, women are twice as likely to develop clinical depression as men. Up to one in four women is likely to have an episode of major depression at some point in life.

The findings of the study showed that the risk of death associated with depression appeared strongest in the years following a depressive episode.

"During the recent years in which women's risk of death increased significantly, roles have changed dramatically both at home and in the workplace, and many women shoulder multiple responsibilities and expectations," said Ian Colman from the University of Ottawa.

In the study, the lifespan for young adults with depression at age 25 was markedly shorter over the 60-year period – the lifespan shortened ranging from 10 to 12 fewer years of life, then four to seven years and later seven to 18 fewer years of life.

"At first the association was limited to men, but in later years it was seen for women as well," said Stephen Gilman from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Maryland, US.

For the study, published in CMAJ, the team looked at 60 years of mental health data on 3410 adults from a region in Atlantic Canada and linked the data to deaths in the Canadian Mortality Database.
Though depression has also been linked with poorer diet, lack of exercise, smoking and alcohol consumption – all factors that can result in chronic health conditions – did not explain the increased risk of death associated with depression in this study, the researchers noted.

Family physicians should monitor the patients for mood disturbances, especially recurrent episodes of depression, so that they may offer treatment and support, the researchers suggested.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), depression is “a common mental disorder, characterized by sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of tiredness, and poor concentration.”

“Depression can be long-lasting or recurrent, substantially impairing an individual’s ability to function at work or school or cope with daily life. At its most severe, depression can lead to suicide.”

How is depression different in men and women?

Certain symptoms appear more often in women than in men, including seasonal affective disorder – depression in the winter months due to lower levels of sunlight. Also, women are more likely to experience the symptoms of atypical depression.

This means, that 'normal' symptoms of depression seen in men – like sleeping less, loss of appetite, losing weight, etc – will be reversed in women. Women with depression may, in fact, sleep more and sleep heavily, eat more (emotional eating) and put on weight.

Feelings of guilt associated with depression are also more prevalent and pronounced in women. This gender difference in rates of depression is found in most countries around the world.

(With IANS inputs)