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

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 serv

SUBMITTER: Bareis N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5704990 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature