Social roles and the gender difference in rates of the common mental disorders in Britain: a 7-year, population-based cohort study

Background. It is not known why the most common mental disorders (CMD), anx iety and depression, are more prevalent among women. This gradient has not been explained by differences in the number or type of social roles occupie d by men and women. Given the dearth of longitudinal studies, these negativ e findings could reflect reverse causality, if men with CMD relinquish soci al roles more readily than women. Methods. Cohort study using data From the first seven (annual) waves of the British Household Panel Survey. The prevalence of CMD was assessed using t he General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), 12 months after ascertaining occupan cy of five social roles. Of 12379 participants aged 16-70, 9947 completed t he GHQ on at least two consecutive occasions, resulting in 44 139 paired ob servations. Random effects models adjusted for the correlation of repeated measures and for baseline GHQ score. Results. The odds ratio for the gender difference in the future prevalence of CMD (adjusted for baseline GHQ score) was 1-92 (95% Cl 1.75-2.10). Neith er the number or type of social roles occupied, nor socio-economic status e xplained the gender difference in these conditions (adjusted OR 1.82, 95 % CI 1.66-1.99). While CMD at baseline was associated with a subsequent reduc tion in social role occupancy, this did not vary between men and women. Conclusions. Gender differences in CMD were not explained by differences in the number or type of social roles occupied by men and women, or by revers e causality. Future studies should consider characteristics of social roles , such as demand, control and reward.