A recent study published in Cureus examined the relationship between gender and depression severity among patients suffering from urinary incontinence, a common condition affecting 20% to 40% of adults. The research, conducted using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) covering August 2021 to August 2023, involved 2,326 individuals with urinary leakage.
The study aimed to determine if female patients reported higher levels of depression compared to male patients when adjusting for factors like age, race, education, and marital status. While previous research indicated that urinary incontinence can exacerbate depressive symptoms, the role of gender in modifying this relationship remained unclear.
The study’s findings revealed that gender did not significantly influence depression severity among patients with urinary incontinence. The results showed a beta coefficient of 0.252, indicating no substantial difference in depression scores between males and females (p = 0.266). In contrast, age emerged as a significant factor, with each additional year correlating with a 0.066-point decrease in depression score (p < 0.001). The study also identified educational attainment as a critical factor in depression severity; individuals with a college degree reported significantly lower depression scores compared to those with less education (beta = -2.267, p < 0.001). Additionally, unmarried individuals exhibited higher depression scores than their married counterparts (beta = 1.411, p < 0.001).
The study cohort had a mean age of 59.47 years, with a majority being female (68.9%). The racial composition included 68.4% White, 12.9% Hispanic, and 9.6% Black participants. The analysis of depression severity based on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) indicated that 60.6% of patients experienced minimal depression, while 1.6% reported severe depression.
The findings challenge the assumption that gender differences play a significant role in depression severity among patients with urinary incontinence. Instead, demographic factors such as age, education level, and marital status appear to have a more pronounced impact.
The authors suggest that further research is warranted to explore how different types of urinary symptoms or their severity might uniquely affect mental health in men and women. This study highlights the importance of considering broader sociodemographic factors when assessing mental health outcomes in patients suffering from urinary incontinence.
