Sociodemographic characteristics related to inequality in depression treatment in Peruvian adults: a concentration index decomposition approach

Abstract

Abstract Background Depressive symptoms affect a significant proportion of Peruvian population, between 13.8% and 15.1% since 2014 to 2018. However, only the 14.1% did not receive treatment, this gap in treatment is influenced for sociodemographic conditions. The study aim was assessing demographic characteristics related to inequalities in the depression treatment receiving in Peruvian adults.Methods Utilizing data from the 2017–2022 Demographic and Health Survey, we conducted an analytic cross-sectional study. Inequality in treatment receipt was evaluated using concentration curves for estimated Concentration Index (CI), and the Erreygers Concentration Index (ECI), with the wealth index serving as an equity stratified. Decomposition analysis was employed to examine disparities among sociodemographic characteristics, including sex, age, education, residence, health insurance, and ethnicity.Results Of the 35,925 Peruvian adults with depressive symptoms surveyed, only 10.82% received treatment. Our analysis revealed treatment recipients were concentrated in higher wealth quintiles (CI: 22.08, 95% CI: 20.16 to 24.01, p < 0.01). Disparities persisted across various demographic groups, with urban residency (ECI: 0.03, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.03, p < 0.001), those without education (ECI: 0.05, 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.07, p < 0.001), Afro-Peruvians (ECI: 0.06, 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.08, p < 0.001), and women (ECI: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.06 to 0.08, p < 0.001) experiencing lower received treatment, influenced by wealth quintile.Conclusion Only one in ten Peruvian adults with depressive symptoms received treatment. Sociodemographic conditions such as living in rural areas, outside of the capital region, having low educational level, and identifying as Quechua or Aymara were the main components of inequality in the receipt of treatment for depressive symptoms.