Modelling Maternal Depression: An Agent-Based Model to Examine the Complex Relationship between Relative Income and Depression

Depression is a major public health concern among expectant mothers in Canada. Income inequality has been linked to depression, so interventions for reducing income inequality may reduce the prevalence of maternal depression. The current study aims to simulate the effects of government transfers and...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of environmental research and public health 2022-04, Vol.19 (7), p.4208
Main Authors: Benny, Claire, Yamamoto, Shelby, McDonald, Sheila, Chari, Radha, Pabayo, Roman
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Agent-based models
Anxiety
Child
Cohort Studies
Depression - epidemiology
Female
Households
Humans
Income
Mental depression
Mental disorders
Mothers
Pilot Projects
Public health
Simulation
Social interactions
Social networks
Social organization
Socioeconomic factors
Socioeconomics
Womens health
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Summary:Depression is a major public health concern among expectant mothers in Canada. Income inequality has been linked to depression, so interventions for reducing income inequality may reduce the prevalence of maternal depression. The current study aims to simulate the effects of government transfers and increases to minimum wage on depression in mothers. We used agent-based modelling techniques to identify the predicted effects of income inequality reducing programs on maternal depression. Model parameters were identified using the All Our Families cohort dataset and the existing literature. The mean age of our sample was 30 years. The sample was also predominantly white (78.6%) and had at least some post-secondary education (89.1%). When income was increased by just simulating an increase in minimum wage, the proportion of depressed mothers decreased by 2.9% (p < 0.005). Likewise, simulating the Canada Child Benefit resulted in a 5.0% decrease in the prevalence of depression (p < 0.001) and Ontario’s Universal Basic Income pilot project resulted in a simulated 5.6% decrease in the prevalence of depression (p < 0.001). We also assessed simulated changes to the mother’s social networks. Progressive income policies and increasing social networks are predicted to decrease the probability of depression.
ISSN:1660-4601
1661-7827
1660-4601
DOI:10.3390/ijerph19074208