Psychological distress is frequently used as an indicator of the mental health of a population. Overall, the mean level of distress is higher in women than in men and tends to decrease in both genders during adulthood. This pattern is primarily attributable to the differential exposure of women and men to specific risk factors over their lifetimes. However, the age distribution for distress may be confounded by a cohort effect. | Gender differences in the age-cohort distribution of psychological distress in Canadian adults: Findings from a national longitudinal survey
