Although there is a better understanding of depression in this day and age, things are being discovered about depression every year. For example, a new study revealed that depression rates are much higher amongst women than they are among men.
Depression Rates Among Americans
According to the National Center for Health Statistics, American depression rates have not grown worse over the past ten years, there appear to be large disparities in those who do suffer from depression. In total, roughly eight percent of all Americans are reportedly depressed during any given two-week period. According to studies performed over a three-year period between 2013 and 2016, it was found that roughly 5.5 percent of American men experienced symptoms of depression. However, this number was almost twice as large for American women at 10.4 percent.
It was also found that depression rates differed widely depending on the ethnicity and income level of a person. For example:
3.1 percent of Non-Hispanic Asian adults experienced depression
8.2 percent of Hispanic adults experienced depression
7.9 percent of non-Hispanic white adults experienced depression
9.2 percent of non-Hispanic black adults experienced depression
According to the study, people with lower incomes were also more likely to experience symptoms of depression. Around 16 percent of those who live below the federal poverty level reported signs of depression, while only 3.5 percent of people living at 400 percent of the federal poverty level reported symptoms. The demographic least likely to experience depression was revealed to be men earning high incomes. Only 2.3 percent of this group experienced feelings of depression during the study period.
There are many symptoms of depression, including sadness, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness, irritability, feelings of guilt, feelings of worthlessness, decreased energy, restlessness, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite and more.
Depression affects all walks of life, but it affects some groups more than others, especially when comparing the depression rate of women to men. For more health tips concerning depression or for help finding a health insurance plan that will benefit you and your family most, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store.