Association Between Credit Risk Score and Major Depressive Disorder

This research article presents a study that investigates the relationship between credit risk scores and the burden of major depressive disorder (MDD) in a real-world cohort. The study involved 3,469,613 patients diagnosed with MDD, with demographic data indicating a significant difference in household income and education levels between high and low credit risk groups. The findings reveal that patients with high credit risk scores exhibited higher severity of depression, as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), compared to their low credit risk counterparts. Specifically, the mean PHQ-9 score was 13.3 for high credit risk patients versus 12.4 for low credit risk patients. The research also highlights disparities in healthcare utilization, with high credit risk patients more likely to receive emergency and inpatient mental healthcare services, while being less likely to access outpatient services. The study underscores the importance of understanding financial risk factors in relation to mental health outcomes.