New Gallup poll reveals social factors for depression

About one in 10 Americans is depressed, according to the new Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index poll of 100,000 Americans, which was conducted between January and July 2013. These numbers are consistent with the U.S. Centers for Control and Prevention's statistics on depression. Those with depression take a range of medications, including Effexor, and also often engage in cognitive therapy and meditative practices to manage and treat their symptoms.

While depression has many causes, both genetic and environmental, the Gallup poll revealed some of the social factors that coordinate with depression.

Depression and employment
The index found that adults who were unemployed or underemployed were more likely to be depressed than those with full-time jobs. Overall, people who were out of the workforce for any reason had depression rates of 16.6 percent, while 11.4 percent of those who were unemployed and looking for work were depressed. In contrast, only around 5 percent of people who were self-employed full time or worked full time through an employer had depression. There was also a difference between those employed part time who were satisfied (7.6 were depressed) and those who were employed part time but seeking a full-time job (10.6 percent).

Gallup released another portion of this large poll in July 2013 detailing the costs to employers of their employees' depression. Overall, fulltime workers with depression miss an average of 8.7 days of work, while those without depression miss an average of 4.6 days of work. Depressed part-time workers stay home an average of 13.7 days, compared with 8.7 days of non-depressed part-timers. This was a significant aspect of the poll because in total, employers lose $23 billion dollars each year due to employee absenteeism.

Other social factors
The poll also revealed other important aspects about work-related depression. White women, people making less than $36,000 per year and those between the ages of 22 and 64 are at greater risk for depression. Black or Hispanic men, people between the ages of 18 and 21 and those older than 65 an anyone making more than $90,000 per year are at reduced risk for depression.

Gallup cautioned, however, about making assumptions. For example, it's difficult to know whether those who make less than $36,000 per year are depressed because they are unable to meet all of their needs, or whether depressed people or more likely to have a job making less than $36,000 per year simply because they're depressed.