The influence of education on differences in depressive symptoms between men and women in Slovenia

Kamin, Tanja (author), Berzelak, Jernej (author), Ule, Mirjana (author)

Background: This paper discusses depressive symptoms among men and women in Slovenia and their relationship to various socioeconomic factors, and education in particular. Methods: The analysis is based on the European Social Survey Round 3 (ESS-3) from 2006, for the Slovene population (n = 1,282). Depressive symptoms, as a dependent variable, are measured using an 8-item version of the Centre for Epidemiological Studies - Depression (CES-D 8) scale. Independent variables included in the research model are: gender, age, education, income, marital and employment status and the presence of a child under the age of 12 in the household. Using mean comparisons of depression symptoms and regression analyses, the paper presents gender differences in depression levels and factors that influence it. Results: Education contributes to lower depression levels in both genders; however, its influence is substantially higher among women. Depression symptoms are closely related to education. Lower educated women show a significantly higher score in depression symptoms than lower educated men. However, higher educated women show better mental health than higher educated men. Different sociodemographic factors influence the levels of depression symptoms differently between genders. The impact of housework as an employment status thus significantly influences higher levels of depression only among men. Similar indications for age, widowhood and the absence of partnership. In contrast, the influence of work disability on depression is only significant for women. Conclusion: The influence of socioeconomic and cultural factors on depression symptoms is greater for women than men.

• Language: English
• Work type: Not categorized
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Publisher: Inštitut za varovanje zdravja Republike Slovenije
• Year: 2012
• Number of pages: Str. 33-42
• Numbering: Letn. 51, št. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-55249
• UDC: 616.89(497.4):303
• ISSN on article: 0351-0026
• DOI: 10.2478/v10152-012-0005-0
• COBISS.SI-ID: 30995037
• Publication date in RUL: 10.07.2015

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Zdravstveno varstvo. Slovenian journal of public health
• Publisher: Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje, Sciendo
• ISSN: 0351-0026
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3287810

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Vpliv izobrazbe na razlike med spoloma v prisotnosti simptomov depresije v Sloveniji

Abstract

Uvod: Prispevek razpravlja o spolnih razlikah v prisotnosti simptomov depresivnosti v Sloveniji in njihovi povezanosti s temeljnimi socialnodemografskimi dejavniki, predvsem z izobrazbo. Metode: Analiza temelji na anketnih podatkih Evropske družboslovne raziskave iz leta 2006. Vzorec sestavlja 1.282 anketirancev, starih od 18 do 75 let. Ocena stopnje depresivnosti temelji na skrajšani lestvici CES-D 8. Neodvisne spremenljivke so: spol, starost, dosežena izobrazba, dohodek, zaposlitveni in zakonski status ter prisotnost otroka do 12 let v gospodinjstvu. S primerjavo povprečij stopnje simptomov depresivnosti in regresijskimi analizami prispevek prikaže razlike v stopnji depresivnosti in dejavnikih vpliva nanjo glede na spol. Rezultati: Izobrazba prispeva k nižji stopnji depresivnosti pri obeh spolih, vendar je njen vpliv izrazito močnejši med ženskami. Čim nižja je izobrazba, tem večje so razlike v stopnji depresivnosti med spoloma v škodo žensk. Ta trend se obrne pri najvišji izobrazbi, kjer je stopnja depresivnosti pri moških višja kot pri ženskah. Preostali socialnodemografski dejavniki različno vplivajo na stopnjo depresivnosti glede na spol. Vplivi starosti, dela v gospodinjstvu, ovdovelosti in nevključenosti v partnersko zvezo na stopnjo depresivnosti so značilni le za moške. Nasprotno je le pri ženskah mogoče zaznati statistično značilen vpliv nezmožnosti za delo na stopnjo depresivnosti.