title: A sex-specific comparison of major depressive disorder symptomatology in the canadian forces and the general population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare major depressive disorder (MDD) symptomatology within men and women in a large, representative sample of Canadian military personnel and civilians.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used the Canadian Community Health Survey: Mental Health and Well-Being (Cycle 1.2 and Canadian Forces Supplement) (n = 36 984 and n = 8441, respectively) to compare past-year MDD symptomatology among military and civilian women, and military and civilian men. Logistic regression models were used to determine differences in the types of depressive symptoms endorsed in each group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Men in the military with MDD were at lower odds than men in the general population to endorse numerous symptoms of depression, such as hopelessness (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.44; 99% CI 0.23 to 0.83) and inability to cope (AOR 0.53; 99% CI 0.31 to 0.92). Military women with MDD were at lower odds of thinking about their death (AOR 0.52; 99% CI 0.32 to 0.86), relative to women with MDD in the general population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different MDD symptomatology among males and females in the military, compared with those in the general population, may reflect selection effects (for example, personality characteristics and patterns of comorbidity) or occupational experiences unique to military personnel. Future research examining the mechanisms behind MDD symptomatology in military personnel and civilians is required.
authors.affiliation: Student, Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Erickson
authors.affiliation: Student, Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
authors.forename: D Jolene
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kinley
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bolton
authors.affiliation: Directorate of Mental Health, Canadian Forces Health Services Group Headquarters, Ottawa, Ontario.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zamorski
authors.affiliation: Professor, Departments of Psychiatry and Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
authors.forename: Murray W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Enns
authors.affiliation: Professor, Departments of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
authors.forename: Jitender
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sareen
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001293:Attitude to Death; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D065026:Hope; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult