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Women & Depression

Depression is a pervasive and impairing illness that affects both women and men, but women experience depression at roughly twice the rate of men. Researchers continue to explore how special issues unique to women—biological, life cycle, and psycho-social-may be associated with women's higher rate of depression.

From the National Institute of Mental Health

Wisconsin Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton is honorary chair of Wisconsin United for Mental Health. The last several years she has worked with many citizens of the state to learn why the women of Wisconsin ranked #48 among the other states in women's mental health. To read more about the Task Force she began and the report they produced visit the Lt. Governor's website at http://www.ltgov.state.wi.us/ and click on Women and Depression.

As of June 2008 - The 18-month Partnership Fund Planning Grant partnering WUMH with the UW-School of Nursing is nearing completion. Focus groups with women between the ages of 18-44 have been held in Superior, Milwaukee, and Stevens Point. The Research Team will review the transcriptions from the groups to identify stigma themes. The plan is to create “culturally-sensitive educational messages” to reach Wisconsin women; these will be described in an application for an Implementation Grant (due Aug 29) from the Partnership Fund through the UW-School of Medicine and Public Health.

Additional Resources on Women and Depression:
Women and Mental Health (internal WUMH page)
Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation