A Cross-Country Analysis of the Risk Factors for Depression at the Micro and Macro Level

Natalia Melgar and Maximo Rossi

No 4684, Research Department Publications from Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department

Abstract: Past research has provided evidence of the role of some personal characteristics as risk factors for depression. However, few studies have examined jointly their specific impact and whether country characteristics change the probability of being depressed. In general, this is due to the use of single-country databases. The aim of this paper is to extend previous findings by employing a much larger dataset and including the country effects mentioned above. The paper estimates probit models with country effects and explores linkages between specific environmental factors and depression using data from the 2007 Gallup Public Opinion Poll. Findings indicate that depression is positively related to being a woman, adulthood, divorce, widowhood, unemployment and low income. Moreover, there is evidence of the significant positive association between inequality and depression, especially for those living in urban areas. Finally, some population’s characteristics facilitate depression (age distribution and religious affiliation).

Keywords: Depression; Health; Well-being; Cross-country research (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D01 I10 I12 J18 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010-09
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-env and nep-lam
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Related works:
Journal Article: A Cross‐Country Analysis of the Risk Factors for Depression at the Micro and Macro Levels (2012)
Working Paper: A Cross-Country Analysis of the Risk Factors for Depression at the Micro and Macro Level (2010)
Working Paper: A cross-country analysis of the risk factors for depression at the micro and macro level (2009)
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