Gender Differences in the Incidence of Depression Among Immigrants and Natives in Aragón, Spain

Abstract

Knowledge of depression among immigrants within Spanish primary care is limited. This database study investigates the incidence of depressive disorders among immigrants and natives within primary care in Aragón (Spain). Participants were patients registered in an electronic record register, aged above 20 years diagnosed with depression. Incidence of depression was calculated and compared per continent of origin, gender and age with the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal–Wallis test. The population consisted of 11,088 patients with depression of whom 93.0 % natives and 7.0 % immigrants. Incidence of depression amongst male immigrants was lower than amongst male natives (OR 0.80). Eastern European males showed the lowest incidence 4.1 (3.5–5.3). The gender difference in incidence was larger in immigrants than in natives (OR 3.4 vs. 2.7). Due to male immigrants the incidence of depression within primary care is lower among immigrants. Equal care should be provided to patients of both genders and all origin.