Work and family roles and the association with depressive and anxiety disorders: Differences between men and women☆
Received 8 February 2007; received in revised form 12 April 2007; accepted 13 April 2007.
Abstract
Background
This study examined the associations of (combinations of) social roles (employee, partner and parent) with the prevalence of anxiety and depressive disorders and whether social roles contribute to the explanation of the female preponderance in these disorders.
Method
This was a cross-sectional study using data from 3857 respondents aged 25–55 of NEMESIS (Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study). Depression and anxiety disorders were measured using the CIDI 1.1.
Results
The OR of depressive disorders and anxiety disorders among women compared to men was 1.71 (95% CI: 1.40–2.10). Among both genders, the partner role was associated with decreased risks of depression and anxiety and the parent role was not. The work role was a significant protective factor of depression and anxiety for men (OR=0.40; 95% CI: 0.24–0.69) but not for women (OR=0.86; 95% CI: 0.66–1.12). The effect of the work role was positive among women without children (OR=0.28; 95% CI: 0.14–0.54), but not among those with children (OR=1.01; 95% CI: 0.75–1.35). The gender risk for depression and anxiety decreased significantly by adding the work role variables into the model.
Limitations
This was a cross-sectional study. This study did not give insight into the quality of social roles.
Conclusion
The work role contributed to the explanation of the female preponderance in depression and anxiety disorders. Considering depression and anxiety among women, a focus upon quality and meaning of the work role, and barriers in combining the work role and parent role may be essential.
aFaculty of Social Sciences/VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
bUniversity of the Netherlands Antilles, Curaçao, N.A.
cDepartment of Psychiatry/VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
dNetherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Utrecht, the Netherlands
Corresponding author. Faculty of Social Sciences, Department Sociology, VU University De Boelelaan 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Tel.: +31 20 788 4578; fax: +31 20 7885664.
☆ Role of Funding Source: Netherlands Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport and Sterpunt Arbeid of VU University had no further role in study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data and in the writing of the paper as well as in the decision to submit the paper for publication.
Contributors: Inger Plaisier, MA: Conception and design, analyses and interpretation of data, drafting and revising the paper.
Jeanne G.M. de Bruijn, Ph.D.: Supervision, conception and design of the paper.
Johannes H. Smit, Ph.D.: Supervision, conception and design, and revising the paper critically for the methodological and theoretical content.
Ron de Graaf, Ph.D: Revising the paper critically for both methodological and theoretical content.
Margreet ten Have, Ph.D.: Revising the paper critically for both methodological and theoretical content.
Richard van Dyck, M.D., Ph.D.: Supervision, conception and design, and revising the paper critically for the methodological and theoretical content.
Aartjan T. F. Beekman, M.D. Ph.D.: Conception and design and revising the paper for important intellectual content.
Brenda W. J. H. Penninx, Ph.D.: Supervision, conception and design, advice for data-analyses, interpretation of data and final approval of the version to be published.
Conflict of interest: None of the authors or the institutions they work for has any conflict of interest related to the topic of this paper.
ABSTRACT