The relationship between childhood poverty, military service, and later life depression among men: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study.

TitleThe relationship between childhood poverty, military service, and later life depression among men: Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2016
AuthorsBareis, N, Mezuk, B
JournalJ Affect Disord
Volume206
Pagination1-7
Date Published2016 Dec
ISSN Number1573-2517
KeywordsAdult Survivors of Child Adverse Events, Aged, Depressive Disorder, Major, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Life Change Events, Male, Middle Aged, Military Personnel, Odds Ratio, Poverty, Self Report, United States, Veterans
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Childhood poverty has been associated with depression in adulthood, but whether this relationship extends to later life major depression (MD) or is modified by military service is unclear.

METHODS: Data come from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) 2010 wave, a longitudinal, nationally representative study of older adults. Men with data on military service and childhood poverty were included (N=6330). Childhood poverty was assessed by four indicators (i.e., parental unemployment, residential instability) experienced before age 16. Military service was categorized as veteran versus civilian, and during draft versus all-volunteer (after 1973) eras. Past year MD was defined by the Composite International Diagnostic Inventory.

RESULTS: Four in ten men ever served, with 13.7% in the all-volunteer military. Approximately 12% of civilians, 8% draft era and 24% all-volunteer era veterans had MD. Childhood poverty was associated with higher odds of MD (Odds Ratio (OR): 2.38, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.32-4.32) and higher odds of military service (OR: 2.58, 95% CI: 1.58-4.21). Military service was marginally associated with MD (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 0.98-1.68) and did not moderate the association between childhood poverty and MD.

LIMITATIONS: Self-report data is subject to recall bias. The HRS did not assess childhood physical and emotional abuse, or military combat exposure.

CONCLUSIONS: Men raised in poverty had greater odds of draft and all-volunteer military service. Early-life experiences, independent of military service, appear associated with greater odds of MD. Assessing childhood poverty in service members may identify risk for depression in later life.

URLhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27455351
DOI10.1016/j.jad.2016.07.018
User Guide Notes

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27455351?dopt=Abstract

Alternate JournalJ Affect Disord
Citation Key8568
PubMed ID27455351
PubMed Central IDPMC5704990
Grant ListK01 MH093642 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
U01 AG009740 / AG / NIA NIH HHS / United States