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Diferencias de género en la relación entre factores personales intrínsecos y la
sintomatología ansiosa y depresiva de una población trabajadora
Gender differences in the relationship between intrinsic personal factors and
the anxious and depressive symptomatology of a working population
Fátima Méndez-López1,2 , Priscila Matovelle-Ochoa3
, Marta Domínguez-García2,4* & Beatriz
Pascual-de la Pisa5,6
1Grupo de Investigación en Atención Primaria, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón. (IIS
Aragón), Zaragoza, España.
2Red de Investigación en Cronicidad, Atención Primaria y Promoción de la Salud (RICAPPS), Instituto
de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, España.
3
Servicio de Geriatría Hospital San Juan de Dios, Zaragoza, España.
4
Servicio Aragonés de Salud (SALUD), Zaragoza, España.
5Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Camas, Distrito Sanitario Aljarafe-Sevilla Norte, Servicio Andaluz de
Salud, Camas, Sevilla, España.
6Departamento de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina de Sevilla, Sevilla, España
* Corresponding autor: mardoga5@gmail.com
Recibido 2023-10-03. Aceptado 2023-11-04
Resumen
Introducción: Los trastornos afectivos son un problema de salud con un gran impacto en el
funcionamiento psicosocial y calidad de vida de las personas que los sufren. Por ello, el objetivo de
este estudio fue analizar la analizar diferencias por género en la asociación entre los factores
personales intrínsecos y la sintomatología depresiva y ansiosa de una población trabajadora.
Métodos: Se realizaron análisis descriptivo, bivariante y multivariante de datos de 242 individuos en
edad laboral activa, entrevistados entre julio de 2021 y julio de 2022. El resultado primario fue la
gravedad de la sintomatología depresiva y ansiosa como variable continua. Resultados: La prevalencia
de síntomas depresivos en nuestra muestra es del 22,22% en mujeres y del 6,54 en varones, mientras
la prevalencia de sintomatología ansiosa fue similar en ambos sexos (21,50% en varones y 25,19% en
mujeres). En varones, la alta autoestima (β = −0,300; p=0,022) y una mayor edad (β = −0,210; p=0,031)
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Acciones e investigaciones Sociales. No 45 (2024)
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son factores protectores de sintomatología depresiva y, la alta autoestima (β = −0,269; p=0,005) y la
alta activación (β = −0,031; p=0,049) en la sintomatología ansiosa. Mientras, en las mujeres, una
mayor autoeficacia y un mayor sentido de coherencia son factores protectores de la sintomatología
depresiva (β = −0,250, p=0,004; β = −0,244, p=0,005) y ansiosa (β = −0,254, p=0,004; β = −0,178,
p=0,040). Conclusión: Las mujeres trabajadoras tienen más sintomatología depresiva y ansiosa que
sus homólogos masculinos. Existen diferencias entre hombres y mujeres en los factores personales
intrínsecos que influyen en los síntomas depresivos y ansiosos.
Palabras clave: salud mental; depresión; ansiedad; determinantes sociales de la salud; Roles de
género.
Abstract
Introduction: Affective disorders are health problems with a significant impact on the psychosocial
functioning and quality of life of people who suffer from them. Therefore, the objective of this study
was to analyse gender differences in the association between intrinsic personal factors and depressive
and anxious symptoms in a working population. Methods: Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate
analyses were performed on data from 242 individuals of active working age interviewed between
July 2021 and July 2022. The primary outcome was the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms
as a continuous variable. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms in our sample is 22.22% in
women and 6.54% in men, while the prevalence of anxious symptoms was similar in both sexes
(21.50% in men and 25.19% in women). In men, high self-esteem (β = −0.300; p=0.022) and older age
(β = −0.210; p=0.031) are protective factors for depressive symptoms, and high self-esteem
(β = −0.269; p=0.005) and high activation (β = −0.031; p=0.049) in anxious symptomatology.
Meanwhile, in women, greater self-efficacy and a greater sense of coherence are protective factors
for depressive (β = −0.250, p=0.004; β = −0.244, p=0.005) and anxious symptoms (β = −0.254, p=0.004;
β = −0.178, p=0.040). Conclusion: Women workers have more depressive and anxious symptoms than
their male counterparts. There are differences between men and women in the intrinsic personal
factors that influence depressive and anxious symptoms.
Keywords: mental health; depression; anxiety; Social Determinants of Health; Gender roles.
INTRODUCTION
Affective disorders are a major and growing health problem with significant morbidity worldwide
(WHO, 2021). Currently, affective disorders have a significant impact on the quality of life of 246
million people with major depressive disorders and 374 million people with anxiety disorders
worldwide (Santomauro et al., 2021). These disorders are more prevalent or diagnosed in women
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than in men. For example, according to reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) (2021),
depressive symptoms affect 5.1% of women compared to 3.6% of men, and anxious symptoms affect
4.6% of women compared to 2.6% of men.
These syndromes are characterised by a significant clinical impairment in an individual's cognition,
emotional regulation, or behaviour (WHO, 2019). Furthermore, they result from complex social,
psychological, and biological interactions. They are associated with significant distress or impairment
in personal, familial, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning
(Sekhon & Gupta, 2022).
Among these factors, stressful work conditions predict poor mental health, and there is growing
concern that such conditions contribute to the population burden of two common psychiatric
disorders: major depression and generalised anxiety disorder (Melchior et al., 2007). On the other
hand, according to the effort-reward model at work, the risk of presenting stress and psychosomatic
disorders would occur when reward factors, such as salary, esteem, professional promotion, or job
security, do not compensate for effort. work (Cabrera Armijos et al., 2022; Siegrist, 1996).
Depressive symptomatology has been associated with disability in terms of decreased productivity
("presenteeism"), absenteeism, job turnover, and unemployment, as well as early retirement, low
quality of life, and increased risk of myocardial infarction (Magnusson Hanson et al., 2009). Job
demands that exceed the individual's coping abilities are perceived as stressful and could influence
the risk of psychiatric disorder through biological, psychological, psychosomatic, and behavioural
mechanisms (Melchior et al., 2007).
Furthermore, certain personal factors in health-promoting behaviour influence physical and mental
well-being (Lakshmi et al., 2023). Among these factors, health literacy (Sørensen et al., 2015), patient
activation (Hibbard et al., 2005), resilience (Campbell-Sills & Stein, 2007), self-efficacy (Sherer et al.,
1982), self-esteem (Bailey, 2003) and the sense of coherence (Antonovsky, 1993) stand out as
elements that significantly influence our physical and emotional health.
Health literacy is defined as the population's knowledge, motivation, and individual capabilities to
understand and make decisions about the promotion and management of their health (Sørensen et
al., 2015). Improving health literacy positively affects people's emotional state, with a moderately
positive effect on reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety (Magallón-Botaya et al., 2023).
Patient activation refers to an individual's ability and capacity to manage their health condition and
the confidence to assume this responsibility (Hibbard et al., 2005). Individuals with high activation
levels have a greater ability for self-care, better health, and fewer depressive symptoms (Blakemore
et al., 2016).
Resilience is a positive adaptation to adverse life events and events (Campbell-Sills & Stein, 2007)