Citation

Lin YC, Chang YH, Yan HT. Int. J. Public Health 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00038-020-01410-6

PMID

32712689

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Given the speculation of the market economy causing an epidemic of depression, this study aimed to examine the influence of international trade on the prevalence of depressive disorders.

METHODS: We used panel data from 1993 to 2015 covering 170 countries (n = 3787) and applied fixed effects regression models. We modeled the prevalence of depressive disorders as a function of international trade, adjusting for economic development, economic growth, and population size. Regime types, media freedom, and capital-labor ratio were included as moderators.

RESULTS: A 100% point increase in the value of international trade indicated a 0.09% point decrease in the prevalence of depressive disorders (- 0.09, confidence interval [CI] - 0.01 to - 0.18). However, this effect existed only for democratic countries (- 0.15, CI - 0.03 to - 0.28). The effect was more prevalent when the governments allowed the media more freedom (score of 100, - 0.31, CI - 0.17 to - 0.45) or when a country's capital-labor ratio of endowments was high (50,000, - 0.22, CI - 0.08 to - 0.35).

CONCLUSIONS: Trade brings about positive mental health outcomes in democracies, countries having free media, or capital-abundant economies.

Language: en

Keywords

Depression; Media; Capital–labor ratio; Democracy; Export; Import; Trade