Mental illness affects both sexes, although many types of mental
disorders are more prevalent among women.1 For instance, in
2007, 13.3 percent of women and 8.1 percent of men reported
experiencing frequent depression in the past year. Similarly,
13.0 percent of women reported experiencing frequent anxiety,
compared to 8.6 percent of men (data not shown). Among women,
rates of frequent depression and anxiety increase with age up to
age 64, but then decrease. More than 15 percent of women aged
45–64 years experienced frequent depression, compared to 12.8
percent of those aged 25–44 years and 9.6 percent of those aged
18– 24. Similarly, women aged 45–64 years were more likely than
women of other ages to experience frequent anxiety (14.7
percent). Frequent depression and anxiety among women decrease
as household income increases. In 2007, women with incomes of
less than 100 percent of the poverty level were most likely to
have experienced frequent depression or anxiety (25.1 and 22.4
percent, respectively), foll