A new study published in Nature Human Behaviour reveals that unmarried individuals are 80% more likely to experience depressive symptoms than their married counterparts. This research, which spans seven culturally diverse countries, highlights the complex relationship between marital status and mental health, suggesting that factors such as social support and economic resources may play a crucial role in this disparity.
Depression is a significant global health issue, currently affecting about 5% of adults and projected to rise above 10% in the post-pandemic period. It is associated with various physical health problems, disabilities, and increased suicide risk. While previous studies have indicated that marriage may provide a protective effect against depression, most of this research has focused primarily on Western populations. There is a pressing need to explore how cultural, socio-economic, and educational factors influence the relationship between marital status and depressive symptoms worldwide.
The study utilized de-identified, nationally representative data from the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, South Korea, Ireland, China, and Indonesia. Researchers conducted a two-stage analysis: a cross-sectional study involving 106,556 participants, followed by a longitudinal analysis with 20,865 participants to examine causal mechanisms.
Participants were categorized into four marital status groups: married, divorced/separated, single, and widowed. Researchers assessed mediators such as alcohol consumption and smoking through self-administered questionnaires, while depressive symptoms were measured using standardized instruments. Key covariates included age, sex, income, educational attainment, and body mass index (BMI). Statistical analyses were performed using survey-weighted logistic regression and multivariate causal mediation analysis, with a significance threshold set at p < 0.05.
The study found that unmarried individuals had a significantly higher risk of depressive symptoms, with a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 1.86 across all cohorts. Specifically, singles had an OR of 1.79, divorced/separated individuals had an OR of 1.99, and widowed participants had an OR of 1.64. These findings were consistent across various sensitivity analyses.
Moreover, the study identified several moderators affecting this relationship, including sex, country, and educational attainment. Unmarried individuals in Western countries showed a greater risk of depressive symptoms compared to those in Eastern countries. Notably, males displayed a higher risk associated with marital status than females, particularly among singles. The correlation between marital status and depressive symptoms was also more pronounced in individuals with higher educational attainment.
Causal mediators such as alcohol consumption and smoking were significant pathways linking marital status to depressive symptoms. For instance, alcohol consumption notably mediated the risk among divorced/separated individuals in Korea, Mexico, and China, while smoking was a significant factor for single individuals in Mexico and China. However, no significant mediating effects were found among unmarried individuals in the United States or Ireland.
Conclusions
This study underscores that unmarried individuals face a significantly higher risk of depressive symptoms compared to their married peers, with notable variations influenced by sex, country, and educational attainment. The findings highlight the critical role of cultural and societal factors in mental health and emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address these disparities. Researchers advocate for further exploration into the mechanisms behind these associations to better understand how to support mental health across different populations.
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