Northern Men are particularly susceptible to depression and volunteers are needed to discover the reason.

Febuary 5, 2009

Masculinity may be standing in the way of some men’s mental health, and researchers at UNBC, UBC, and UBC-Okanagan are hoping to find out why.

“We’ve found that men have a tendency to ‘tough it out’ and quite often feel that depression is something they should be able to work through on their own,” says UNBC Nursing professor Penelope Barrett, who is participating in the research. “It makes it worse in northern and remote areas where access to mental health facilities is limited.”
 
The research project, led by Dr. John Oliffe of UBC’s School of Nursing, is exploring how men view depression, the root causes of depression, and what social factors can influence their decisions to pursue – or not pursue – diagnosis and treatment.

“Significantly fewer men are diagnosed with depression than women, yet there is a much higher rate of suicide for men than women,” says Barrett. “Recent data from area hospitals reflects a much higher rate of men diagnosed with depression in the Emergency Room. This suggests they aren’t talking to their family physician or making use of community-based health services.”

The Depression and Masculinity study focuses on men aged 19 to 44 who are in relationships and who either self-identify or have been diagnosed with depression at some point in their life. By working with men as well as their spouse/partner, Barrett hopes to gain a greater understanding of how the management of depression can play out within the dynamic of a couple.

The team is looking for male volunteers aged 19 to 44, residing within 250 kilometres of Prince George, B.C., who have faced depression in their past or are currently depressed. Where possible, they are also interested in talking with the partners of those men.

Those interested in participating in the study can contact Dr. Penny Barrett  at the number and email below.


Media Contacts:
Rob van Adrichem, Director of Media and Public Relations, UNBC - 250.960.5622 
Dr. Penny Barrett, UNBC Nursing Professor, UNBC – 250.640.3675
Dr. John Oliffe, Project Lead, UBC School of Nursing - 604.822.7638