Are there any gender differences in frequency of self-reported somatic symptoms of depression?
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether self-reported somatic symptoms of depression, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), are more frequent in women than in men with major depressive disorder.


METHODS
A sample of 105 male and 105 female adult psychiatric outpatients diagnosed with major depressive disorder was classified according to endorsed changes in appetite, changes in sleeping pattern, and fatigue (i.e., "somatic depression") symptoms on the BDI-II.


RESULTS
The female to male ratio of somatic symptoms was approximately 2:1. Subsequent analyses found that change in appetite robustly distinguished between women and men and that fatigue partially distinguished between women and men.


CONCLUSIONS
The sample was largely Caucasian and composed of patients with high rates of comorbidity who presented to a service known for specializing in cognitive therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
In outpatients with major depressive disorder, the higher prevalence of "somatic depression" in women is largely attributable to changes in appetite.
Wenzel
Amy
A
Psychopathology Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania, 3535 Market St., Room 2029, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. awenzel@mail.med.upenn.edu
Steer
Robert A
RA
Beck
Aaron T
AT
D000328:Adult; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009518:New York; D012737:Sex Factors; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013223:Statistics as Topic