What factor do Bromet et al. speculate explains higher depression rates in wealthier nations?

What factor do Bromet et al. speculate explains higher depression rates in wealthier nations?

• A. Greater income inequality
• B. Better access to mental health care
• C. Lower life expectancy
• D. Urbanization

Answer: (A)

Income inequality and its impact on mental health is the idea behind this question. Bromet and colleagues argue that higher depression rates in wealthy nations can be explained by greater income inequality. When large gaps exist between the rich and the poor, people experience psychosocial stress from social comparisons, weaker social cohesion, and a sense of relative disadvantage. This stress and erosion of social support can increase the risk of depressive symptoms, even though the country is affluent overall. So, the mechanism isn’t about a lack of resources, but about how unequal distribution of those resources affects people’s everyday social experience. The other factors listed don’t capture this explanatory pathway as directly: better access to care could help treatment but wouldn’t by itself raise prevalence, while life expectancy or urbanization aren’t the core drivers Bromet et al. highlight.

Income inequality and its impact on mental health is the idea behind this question. Bromet and colleagues argue that higher depression rates in wealthy nations can be explained by greater income inequality. When large gaps exist between the rich and the poor, people experience psychosocial stress from social comparisons, weaker social cohesion, and a sense of relative disadvantage. This stress and erosion of social support can increase the risk of depressive symptoms, even though the country is affluent overall. So, the mechanism isn’t about a lack of resources, but about how unequal distribution of those resources affects people’s everyday social experience. The other factors listed don’t capture this explanatory pathway as directly: better access to care could help treatment but wouldn’t by itself raise prevalence, while life expectancy or urbanization aren’t the core drivers Bromet et al. highlight.