Association of sociodemographic factors with depression in women of reproductive age.

Introduction: Women suffer disproportionately from depression, which has a high prevalence in developing countries. Sociodemographic factors are associated with depression, some of which may be modifiable and lead to better outcomes for depression among women. Objectives: To determine sociodemographic factors associated with depression among women of reproductive age in Karachi. Methods: A case control study was conducted on 376 women in 2 hospitals in Karachi. Patients were diagnosed by psychiatrists and family physicians by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) criteria and SRQ20. Results: The odds for women with depression being married for \u3e5 years, being abused by in-laws, spending ≤3 hours per day with their spouses, and being just satisfied or not satisfied with their married life was more than that for controls. Conclusion: The authors\u27 findings highlight the important modifiable risk factors for depression, which if addressed will help decrease the burden of depression among women