Study to seek workplace factors that cause depression in women.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will conduct a survey of American workers to identify workplace factors that contribute to depression in women and those that may offer some protection against depression.

Studies indicate that depression afflicts women almost twice as often as men, but most research has focused on social and genetic explanations. The CDC aims to determine whether some causes of women's depression may be work-related, such as a relative lack of control and authority, lower pay and job status, and discrimination in hiring and promotion.

The CDC will call 2,500 women and men at 50 work organizations and ask them about traditional work stressors (i.e., changes in work loads, roles, and responsibilities), stressors among women (especially roles and responsibilities outside work and discrimination), symptoms of depression, and company practices and policies. The CDC also will interview one human resources representative at each company Follow-up interviews will be conducted at one- and two-year intervals.

Survey data will be analyzed to determine which work organization factors are linked with depressive symptoms and what effect (if any) organizational practices and policies may have on depression.