Date of Award

2008

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Program

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Supervisor

Dr. William R. Avison

Second Advisor

Dr. Kathy Speechley

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the association of an early onset of major depressive disorder with the risk for recurrence of depression and psychiatric comorbidity is magnified among single mothers in contrast to married mothers. The data for this study were collected as part of a three-wave cohort study of 518 single and 502 married mothers in London, Ontario. The women were interviewed with the Michigan version of the Composite International Diagnostic Inventory. Results indicate that an early onset of depression was significantly associated with recurrence, but only modestly associated with other psychiatric comorbidity. Examined separately for single and married mothers, we found that being a single mother with an early onset of depression puts a woman at the highest risk of a psychiatric morbidity.

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