Patterns of depressive disorders across 13 years and their determinants among midlife women: SWAN mental health study

•We assessed risk factors for 4 patterns of clinical depression over 13 years.•Nearly half the women had no major or minor depression, 35 (12%) had minor only.•Persistent/recurrent MDD is common in midlife women independent of a lifetime MDD.•40% had at least 1 MDD episode; 77% of these had a persistent/recurrent course.•Major risk factors for persistence/recurrence are sleep problems, upsetting events.•Risk factors for poor MDD course should be assessed in midlife women.

BackgroundLittle is known about the course of depression in midlife women. This study aims to identify factors that distinguish risk factors for persistent or recurrent depression from those of a milder course across 13-years of follow-up.Methods297 Black and White premenopausal women aged 42-52 were enrolled at the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Pittsburgh site. Psychiatric interviews obtained information on lifetime psychiatric diagnoses at baseline and occurrences of depression annually. We identified four depression patterns: 91(31%) had Persistent/recurrent major depressive disorder (MDD), 27(9%) Single Episode MDD, 35(12%) Minor Depression (minD) only, 144(48%) No Depression. We compared baseline risk factors for the Persistent/recurrent MDD group with each of the other three.ResultsA lifetime history of major or minor depression (p-values =.001-.08) and 2+ very upsetting life events in the previous year (p-values=.003-.04) were more likely to be reported by women in the Persistent/recurrent group than in the other three. The Persistent/recurrent group was more likely to report a family history of depression (p=.03) than the MinD group, and to report current sleep problems (p=.002) at baseline than the Single Episode MDD group.LimitationsSmall numbers of women with minD or a Single Episode MDD. Childhood maltreatment and family depression history were retrospectively reported.ConclusionsA Persistent/recurrent depression course is common during midlife. In addition to personal and family histories of depression, providers of midlife health care should recognize that current sleep problems and recent very upsetting events are strong risk factors for a pernicious depression course.