Socio-economic determinants of the gender gap in mental health in South Africa.

Abstract

A large body of theoretical and empirical epidemiological literature investigating the relation between gender and depression find that depression is more prevalent among women than men. However, this research is mainly done in developed countries such as the US. These studies suggest that women are found to be more likely than men to experience depression. For developing countries, South Africa in particular, empirical studies investigating the gender gap in depression in South Africa are very limited. Thus, a research gap examining this relationship exists. Using data from all five waves of the National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS), this study aims to investigate the gender gap in depression among South Africans and to identify social and economic factors that may explain why the gender gap occurs, given the high levels of inequalities between men and women in South Africa. This study used descriptive statistics to show characteristics of the chosen sample (individuals of ages 15 and above, with at least one reported depression score), by their gender and birth year cohort. Hierarchical linear models are used to determine the age trajectory in mental health for women and men in South Africa, the magnitude of the gender gap in depression in South Africa and how it differs across different birth cohorts, and in addition, to determine the extent at which gender differences in social and household roles, and in labour market roles, explain the gender gap in mental health. This study found that women experience more depressive symptoms than men. Thus, confirming the existence of a gender gap in depression in South Africa. In addition, the study found that gender differences in variables such decision-making power in the household, employment status and childcare responsibilities explained the differences in the depression scores between men and women.