White Men have Higher Rates of Depression, Study Finds

By Cheri Cheng - 24 Sep '15 16:38PM

Race might play a factor in one's risk of developing depression, a new study found.

In this study, researchers set out to examine whether or not race and gender play a factor in people's depression risk. The team from Michigan University examined the stress levels of approximately 6,000 adults from the United States. Stressful events included financial problems, health issues, relationship troubles, police harassment and addictions.

The researchers found that white men were more likely than black men to be diagnosed with depression even though they reported lower levels of stress.

"White men were experiencing the least stress in their lives," lead study author Dr. Shervin Assari, a research investigator at the University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry, said to The Huffington Post. "They don't get a lot of it and they are not used to it, so they are more prone to its harmful effects."

The team concluded that white men had higher rates of depression because they have fewer coping mechanisms.

"They don't learn how they should mobilize their resources from previous stressful experiences," Dr. Assari explained. "Whom should they talk to? How should they act? They have not learned to respond to stress to the same level as black men."

This finding, however, did not apply for white and black women. The researchers found that women from both racial groups had the same likelihood of dealing with depression although black women were more likely to report higher levels of stress. Women in general reported higher levels of stress than men.

"Some extremely stressful conditions may cause post-traumatic growth, resulting in better psychological well-being," Dr. Assari wrote in her study. "Some of the stressors may be associated with unexpectedly low rates of depression. Future research is needed to understand how race and gender change mental health consequences of exposure to each type of stress."

The study was published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.