A Retrospective Study of Demographic, Socio-Economic and Healthcare Access Disparities Among Patients With Depression in the USA.

Introduction Depression is a multifactorial psychological condition influenced by a complex interplay of demographic, socioeconomic, and healthcare access factors. Understanding these associations is essential to develop effective, inclusive, and targeted mental health interventions. Globally, and particularly in the United States, disparities in mental healthcare organization and access contribute to unequal outcomes. Methodology This cross-sectional observational study utilized the 2021 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) dataset comprising 438,693 respondents across the United States. After applying exclusion criteria, 85,398 participants were included in the final analysis. Depression was the dependent variable, and independent variables included age, gender, race, education, employment, income, mental/physical health status, insurance type, and access to healthcare providers. Binomial logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and p-values. Results Participants reporting 14 or more days of poor mental health had a significantly higher likelihood of depression (OR = 12.41; 95% CI: 11.77-13.08;