Race differences in depression: A life course perspective

The objective is to examine the factors associated with race differences in depression over the life course. Longitudinal data from the 1986-2001 Americans' Changing Lives Study was used to explore race differences in depression using multi-level growth models. Level 1 predictors included time varying covariates such as parental stress, financial stress, life events, marital status, educational attainment, income, age, diabetes, BMI and high blood pressure. Race and sex were entered at level 2. Findings show although depression wanes over time, African Americans (B=0.459; p<.001) experience higher levels of depression compared to Whites over the life course. Race differences in depression were explained by parental (B=0.128; p<.001) and financial stress (B=0.125). Educational attainment (B= -0.062; p<0.001), marital status (B= -0.158; p<.-.001), and overweight (B= -0.105) were inversely related to depression. Men had lower depression than women (B= -0.187; p<.001) and interactions show strong evidence that sex differences in depression depend on parental stress. Implications of findings suggest interventions for reducing stress endemic to racial and female populations are imperative for reducing heath disparities and improving population health.