Research paperThe gender difference in depressive prevalence is due to high prevalence of somatic depression among women who do not have depressed relatives

- Depressive prevalence among females and males were compared in a representative sample
- Respondents were divided into those who exhibited depression with much somatic symptomatology and those with less somatic symptomatology
- Respondents were divided into those who reported that their relatives (all first degree, parents, mothers, fathers in separate analyses) did or did not exhibit depression
- All or almost all of the gender difference in depressive prevalence was found to be due to respondents exhibiting somatic depression and reporting no depressed relatives.

BackgroundGiven that several studies have found the gender difference in depression to be rooted in psychosocial forces and others have shown the difference to be due to a gender difference in somatic depression, we compared the gender difference in somatic depression among respondents who reported no relative depressed with that of all other depressed respondents.MethodsRespondents in a representative sample from the Zurich study who met criteria for somatic depression and reported no relatives (first-degree, or parents, or mothers, or fathers in separate analyses) with depression were compared to other depressed respondents as to gender.ResultsThe gender difference in the prevalence of depression among respondents with somatic depression who reported no relatives with depression (whether the relatives were all first-degree, or any parent, or mothers only or fathers only) was significantly greater than the gender difference in depression among other respondentsLimitationsThe measure of depression among relatives was based upon reports of the respondents.ConclusionAll or almost all of the gender difference in depression in this representative sample.is due to a gender difference in somatic depression among respondents who reported no depressed relative. Somatic depression may be a disorder distinct from depression without significant additional somatic symptomatology. If so, it is likely that it should be treated differently.