Prevalence of depression diagnosis by gender: results of the 2013 and 2019 editions of the national health survey

Abstract

Introduction: Depression is a public health issue with high prevalence in Brazil, which highlights the importance of studies investigating its variations by gender. Objective: estimate the prevalence of depression diagnoses in the Brazilian population by gender, comparing its evolution between the years 2013 and 2019 based on data from the National Health Survey (PNS). Materials and methods: To this end, secondary data extracted from the 2013 and 2019 PNS population surveys, conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), were included. The data were organized in an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using the Jamovi software. Results: The findings indicated an increase in the proportion of depression diagnoses between 2013 and 2019, although this growth was not statistically significant in the overall sample. The self-declared sex-based analysis showed that women had higher diagnosis rates than men, but only in 2019 were they statistically significant. Conclusions: These results reflect the influence of factors such as gender inequalities, barriers to treatment access, and socioeconomic conditions, emphasizing the urgency of integrated public policies that are sensitive to the specific needs of the Brazilian population.