Al Ain community survey of psychiatric morbidity II. Sex differences in the prevalence of depressive disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To examine sex differences in the prevalence of depressive disorders in an Arab community.


METHODS
One thousand three hundred and ninety-four subjects (n=1394) were systematically sampled from the general population in Al-Ain city, United Arab Emirates. All subjects were interviewed and assessed with the modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) and a specially designed socio-demographic questionnaire. The lifetime male and female prevalence rates were estimated. Multivariate logistic regression of various socio-demographic variables was carried out to assess independent risk factors for depression. Statistical significance of sex differences in rates of depression by various socio-demographic groups were also assessed.


RESULTS
The lifetime rates in males and females were 2.8 and 10.3%, respectively. F:M ratio found in this study is highest reported ratio in the literature. Sex, life events, chronic difficulties and to a certain extent age were found to be risk factors for depression in the studied community. The prevalence rates of depression were higher in females in all above categories but such differences reached statistical significance in age category before 55, regardless of marital status, when the number of children is four or more and among those exposed to recent life events and chronic difficulties. Females were found to to be more exposed to chronic life difficulties but only depressed females were significantly more subjected to recent life events.


CONCLUSIONS
Sex differences in depression is a robust finding but more studies are needed to explain the high F:M ratio found in this survey.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 17666, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
Tewfik K
TK
Daradkeh
Rafia
R
Ghubash
Mohammed T
MT
Abou-Saleh
D000328:Adult; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology