Socioeconomic Status and Depressive Syndrome: The Role of Inter- and Intra-Generational Mobility, Government Assistance, and Work Environment

Abstract

This paper assesses the hypothesis that depressive syndrome is associated with socioeconomic status, using longitudinal data from the Baltimore Epidemiologic Catchment Area Followup. Socioeconomic measures include those used in most studies of status attainment, as well as measures of financial dependence, non-job income, and work environment. Analyses include inter-and intragenerational mobility, and replicate the basic aspects of the status attainment process, as well as psychiatric epidemiologic findings regarding gender, family history of depression, life events, and depressive syndrome. But the involvement of depressive syndrome in the process of status attainment, either as cause or consequence, is small and not statistically significant. There are strong effects of financial dependence and work environment on depressive syndrome. The findings shed doubt on the utility of the causation/selection/drift model for depression, to the extent it is based on linear relationships and socioeconomic rank at the macro level, while lending credibility to socialpsychologically oriented theories of work environment, poverty, and depression.The relationship of socioeconomic status to psychiatric disorders is one of the most important aspects of the relationship of social structure to mental life, and one of the most consistent relationships in the field of psychiatric epidemiology.

Gender, precarious work, and chronic diseases in South Korea

“…However, a reverse causation is unlikely considering the much greater labor intensity of nonstandard jobs [Yelin et al, 1999]. A US longitudinal study supports the notion that workers with mental disorders are unlikely to move into nonstandard jobs [Eaton et al, 2001]. According to a Korean study, nonstandard workers have been at their jobs for more than 4 years [Son et al, 2003], and there are the limited welfare benefits for these workers in the labor market [Han and Chang, 2000].…”

A reassessment of the relationship between depression and all-cause mortality in 3,604,005 participants from 293 studies

“…Relatedly, the prevalence of substance disorders is higher among males (52,53), and may contribute to the sex differences in mortality risk observed in this study. The frequent observation of low socioeconomic status among depressed individuals (54,55) further suggests the possibility that the risk of developing depression and premature mortality are both influenced by the same preceding variables. For example, smoking and alcohol use at baseline are both associated with increased risk of depression onset at follow-up (17,56).…”

The Role Of Public Policies In Reducing Mental Health Status Disparities For People Of Color

“…Other investigators argue that it is not status attainment but the psychosocial environment related to employment that plays a role in the SES-psychiatric disorder connection. 18 Improved housing conditions could have a more direct effect on mental health, by reducing housing cost burden and ambient hazards. Or the effect could be indirect, by increasing community resources, allowing greater integration in nonpoor communities, or increasing safety.…”