March 2026 Article of the Month: The impact of depression on mortality by sex and age in the Spanish population
The “Article of the Month” initiative, promoted by the Research and Communication Committee of the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, has selected the study “Analyzing the Impact of Depression on All-Cause Mortality in Different Sex and Age Groups: A 11-Year Follow-Up Study of Spanish Population”, published in the International Journal of Social Psychiatry.
This longitudinal study, conducted with a representative sample of 4,582 adults from the Spanish population, examines the relationship between depression and all-cause mortality over an eleven-year follow-up period. The analysis considers various sociodemographic and health-related factors, such as education level, income, loneliness, alcohol and tobacco use, and the presence of chronic diseases, as well as differences by sex and age group.
The results show that, in an initial analysis, individuals with depression have lower survival rates across several population groups. However, when other relevant factors are taken into account, this association remains statistically significant only among men aged 65 and older, who present a higher risk of mortality compared to men of the same age without depression. In the remaining groups (younger men and women, as well as older women), the relationship between depression and mortality is no longer statistically significant.
The study also highlights that other factors, such as age, smoking, and the presence of chronic conditions, play a major role in mortality risk, often outweighing the impact of depression itself. This finding suggests that the relationship between depression and mortality is complex and likely indirect.
The authors note that the observed differences may be linked to age and gender specific factors, such as different help-seeking behaviors, loneliness, or the accumulation of health problems over the lifespan. In particular, older men may be more vulnerable due to the combination of these factors. Researchers from several institutions contributed to this study, including Dr. Beatriz Olaya, a professor in the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology of the Autonomous University of Barcelona, along with professionals from other centers such as the Autonomous University of Madrid, CIBERSAM, and the Sant Joan de Déu Research Institute, within the framework of a large longitudinal project on aging and health.
Overall, this work contributes to a better understanding of risk factors associated with mortality among people with depression in Spain, and underscores the need to develop policies and interventions tailored to the specific characteristics of different population groups as a key strategy to reduce the risk of premature mortality.