A Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Sociodemographic Determinants of Depression in Indonesian Women: Comparison between Working Mothers and Housewives

The high prevalence of depression among adult women in Indonesia is influenced by various complex factors. This widespread issue, particularly among working mothers, not only threatens individual physical well-being but also leads to economic losses. This study aims to identify external sociodemographic factors contributing to the likelihood of depressive symptoms among Indonesian working mothers and housewives. This study utilized cross-sectional data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey 5, encompassing 5,594 respondents, comprising 2,303 working mothers and 3,291 housewives. The findings of this study indicate that 22.7% of working mothers and 21.8% of housewives experienced depression. While age, subjective socioeconomic status, and area of residence were common sociodemographic determinants for both groups, additional factors differed between them. The level of education was identified as a risk factor among working mothers; with those with lower levels of education demonstrating a 1.694-fold increased risk of developing depression (CI = 1.251–2.293). Housewives who were not involved in the decision-making process regarding their family’s health were 1.256 times more likely to experience depression (CI = 1.048–1.504). It is imperative to gain an understanding of these distinct risk in order to develop targeted interventions that will reduce depression rates and improve the well-being of Indonesian women.