Depression in Different Populations: Are Some People More At Risk?

Author:

Emma Loker

B.S

Editor:

Ashley Pena

LCSW

Depression is an extremely common mental health difficulty that involves a lack of pleasure in things you used to love and sadness or low mood that lasts for long periods. Around 300 million people struggle with depression.¹That’s 4.4% of the world population. But do the rates of depression differ from place to place, or between different populations?

The evidence suggests that yes, the rates of depression are vastly different. So, which populations struggle the most, and why might this be the case? To answer all of your questions, this page will cover:

Are certain people more prone to depression?
Depression statistics among:
- Children
- Adolescents
- Women
- Men
- LGBTQIA+ individuals
- Veterans
- Caregivers
Depression across cultures, including racial differences
Treatment options for depression at Mission Connection

Are Certain People More Prone to Depression?

In short, yes. Some people appear to be more at risk of experiencing depression than others. For instance, government data shows that young adults aged 18-24 have the highest rates of depression among all age groups.²

You may be asking: Why? Why are some populations more prone to depression than others? There isn’t one simple reason why certain groups of people struggle with depression more than others. Instead, it’s a complex web of interconnecting genetic, environmental, and biological factors that may put some people at a greater risk of mental health conditions like depression.

Below, we explore the depression statistics for different populations.

Depression in Children

According to data from the CDC, 1.8% of children aged 6-11 have depression. In young children aged 3-5, the rate is much lower, at 0.1%. Depression in children often manifests as sadness or a low mood that doesn’t go away, or an irritability outside of what you would typically expect of a child.^3,4

Childhood depression may occur if a close family member, such as a parent or caregiver, struggles with depression. Alternatively, childhood depression is more likely after adverse childhood experiences, such as maltreatment or violence.⁵

Depression in Adolescents

The CDC reports that 8.9% of youth aged 12-17 have depression.²

However, the number of youth who experience symptoms of depression, but do not have a formal diagnosis, is likely higher.

A government survey, for example, found that 17% of teens were experiencing depression two weeks prior to the survey. What’s more, 40% said they had experienced persistent sadness or hopelessness in the past year.³

Depression in Women

Around 24% of women experience depression during their lifetime. However, these statistics differ depending on a woman’s life stage, geographic location, the type of depression, and many other factors. For example, the rate of depression in postpartum women is^6,7:

8.6% in the US
14% in Japan
21.4% in China

In contrast, the rate of mental health conditions (mostly depression) in pregnant women is approximately 13%.⁸

Depression in Men

The rate of depression in men is typically lower than in women, with around 13% of men being affected over the course of their lifetime.⁶

However, research also suggests that men are less likely to talk about mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. Therefore, these statistics may not accurately represent the number of men struggling with their mental health.⁹

Depression in LGBTQIA+ Individuals

Many people struggle with depression and other mental health difficulties in the LGBTQIA+ community. A study of global prevalence rates within this population found that in the United States, over a third (34.6%) of LGBTQ people experience depression.¹⁰

Statistics also show that suicide rates among these individuals are particularly high, at approximately 23% in youth compared to 6% in heterosexual youth. The high rate of depression and suicidality in LGBTQIA+ individuals may be due to discrimination, homophobia, transphobia, and rejection, which are still widespread in the United States. It may also be due to difficult experiences coming out to family members and friends.¹¹

Depression in Veterans

Depression is common in veteran populations. Data taken after the US conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan showed that military veterans experienced high rates of depression, with prevalence rising from 11.4% before the conflict to 15% afterward. Additionally, a study from 2019 found that 16.3% of veterans felt tired and had little energy at least half of the time, which is a key indicator of depression.¹²

Research suggests that white veterans tend to have higher rates of depression compared to Black and Hispanic veterans, although the reason for this isn’t clear.¹³

Depression in Caregivers

Around 1.5 million children live in households with a parent who struggles with major or severe depression in the US. With there being a total of 7.5 million adults and caregivers with a child under 18 living with them in the US, this means that the rates of depression are high, at around 20%.¹⁴

Caring for an older adult may also increase a person’s risk of depression. Studies show that the emotional toll of caring for someone, especially someone with a debilitating condition such as dementia, can come with an increased likelihood of depression.¹⁵

Depression Across Cultures: Does Depression Differ?

Depression rates can vary across cultures. For instance, in European countries, the Czech Republic has the lowest rate of current depression, at 2.58%. Germany and Luxembourg have significantly higher depression rates than other European countries, and women across European countries are more likely to have depression than men.¹⁶

Immigrants applying for visas or who are not eligible for citizenship may be at increased risk of depression compared to naturalized citizens. This suggests that the stress associated with immigration issues can negatively impact a person’s mental health.¹⁷

What Are the Racial Differences in Depression?

There also appear to be racial differences in depression. For example, the Non-Hispanic White population has the highest rates of lifetime depression, at 21.9%. Rates are slightly lower for other racial populations:⁶

16.2% of people who identify as Black
14.6% of Hispanic people
14.6% of people from Native Hawaii and other Pacific Islands
7.3% of those who identify as non-Hispanic Asian

Studies show that minority populations may be less likely than Caucasians to experience acute bouts of depression, but they are at increased risk of chronic, severe depression. Factors like socio-economic distress in minorities may be part of the reason for this.¹⁸

Treatment Options for Depression at Mission Connection

As we have seen, many people regardless of their gender, age, sexuality, ethnicity, or background experience depression. At Mission Connection, we support anyone and everyone who is struggling with depression. We offer a range of therapeutic approaches to support every individual within the United States.

Here are some of the most effective forms of therapy we offer for depression:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is highly effective for treating depression, as it helps those struggling with depression challenge their negative thinking patterns and replace these with more positive alternatives.¹⁹You’ll work with your therapist for a set number of sessions, focusing on specific challenges that are causing you difficulties right now. Unlike traditional therapy approaches, CBT tends to focus on current rather than past problems.
Mindfulness Therapy: Research has found that mindfulness-based interventions are beneficial for those with depression. They can help people overcome negative thinking patterns, improve their self-compassion, and reduce their emotional reactivity.²⁰A Mission Connection therapist will work alongside you, teaching you new coping and relaxation strategies to help you manage everyday situations.
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing: EMDR is a form of therapy that helps people with depression manage their symptoms by combining specific eye movements and exposure to difficult thoughts and feelings. Research shows that EMDR can improve depression symptoms, particularly for those with a history of trauma.²¹
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): TMS uses magnetic fields to stimulate the nerve cells within regions of the brain associated with depression. This can reduce the severity of depression symptoms and can be especially helpful for people who haven’t responded to other forms of treatment.²²

We also offer group therapy, online therapy to fit around your schedule, emotion-focused therapy, and more. To find out more about our treatment approaches, contact us at 866-948-6242.

How We Support Everyone Living With Depression

The depression statistics differ depending on the population. But we want to get one thing straight: we celebrate the parts of you that make you, well, you. We respect every person’s individuality, and our treatment programs are created to reflect this.

We offer compassionate, tailored care to suit each individual. From intensive inpatient support to outpatient therapy, we have a treatment approach to suit you. Here are some of the options we offer:

Short-term inpatient stays for severe symptoms or emergencies
Partial hospitalization with daily treatment and evenings at home
Intensive outpatient programs with multiple weekly sessions
Outpatient services like online therapy, CBT, EMDR, and TMS therapy

We also aim to make our treatments as accessible as possible by offering a range of payment options. Get in touch with us today at 866-948-6242 and we will help you begin to recover from depression. We can support you every step of the way.

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