Depression and occupations
A recent blog post by Brad Wright reminded me of something I meant to blog about a few months ago. Brad's topic is social causation vs. social selection, which applies directly to a study released last October by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) on the association between depression and occupation. The report finds the following:
* Combined data from 2004 to 2006 indicate that an annual average of 7.0 percent of full-time workers aged 18 to 64 experienced a major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year
*The highest rates of past year MDE among full-time workers aged 18 to 64 were found in the personal care and service occupations (10.8 percent) and the food preparation and serving related occupations (10.3 percent)
*The highest rates of past year MDE among female full-time workers aged 18 to 64 were found in the food preparation and serving related occupations (14.8 percent), and the highest rates among male full-time workers aged 18 to 64 were found in the arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations (6.7 percent)
Figure 1. Past Year Major Depressive Episode (MDE) among Full-Time Workers Aged 18 to 64, by Occupational Categories**: 2004-2006 Combined
I was in no way surprised to find that social workers rank third in MDEs among full-time adult workers. In fact, my first impulse upon reading the report was to look at the top of the list for social workers. It makes sense, right? What totally depressing work! Social workers (and personal care/service professionals) do some of the most heart-wrenching and least-rewarding work (from at least a financial point of view) that exists. Of course we're depressed! This would be a social causation argument, per Brad's blog. Depressing work makes people more depressed.
But then I got to thinking, what if it's that those of us who struggle with depression anyhow are attracted to occupations that are depressing? This is a very plausible argument, and falls under social selection. Take me for an example. I struggle with depression, and not just "the blues," but true, clinical, Axis I Major Depression (according to the DSM). I have often wondered whether or not my suffering (such as it is) makes me somehow more empathetic, or at least more drawn to, individuals who also have such (or similar) pain. My track record of personal relationships (don't take this personally, anyone - I'm sure it's not you I'm thinking of!) as well as occupational choices would seem to bear this out. So, did I choose my career path in social services because I am depressed?
I was heartened, however, to see that social scientists rank among the lowest in MDEs. Maybe the antidepressants I've been taking are making a difference in my occupational choices? Or is my academic turn is making me less depressed?
Things that make you go, hmmmmmm......