Table 3 Logistic regression analysis of the association between depressive symptoms and sociodemographic characteristics of participants (N = 3183)

 18–24 (reference)

1

1

 25–34

1.55(1.2–1.98)

< 0.001*

1.70 (1.26–2.28)

< 0.001

 35–54

1.94 (1.53–2.47)

< 0.001*

1.95 (1.40–2.70)

< 0.001

 55+

3.49 (2.76–4.41)

< 0.001*

2.82 (1.96–4.04)

< 0.001

 Low (reference)

1

1

 Lower Middle Class

1.06 (0.86–1.31)

0.597

1.1 (0.87–1.37)

0.435

 Upper Middle Class

0.93 (0.75–1.16)

0.528

0.96 (0.76–1.21)

0.751

 High Class

0.78 (0.63–0.98)

0.031*

0.85 (0.66–1.08)

0.193

 No Education (reference)

1

1

 Primary

0.99 (0.76–1.28)

0.943

1.37 (1.03–1.83)

0.029*

 Middle/JHS

0.57 (0.47–0.70)

< 0.001*

0.81 (0.64–1.03)

0.091

 Secondary/SSS

0.50 (0.38–0.66)

< 0.001*

0.85 (0.62–1.17)

0.310

 Higher

0.44 (0.31–0.62)

< 0.001*

0.69 (0.46–1.05)

0.085

 Never married (reference)

1

1

 Currently married

1.26 (1.02–1.56)

0.035*

0.76 (0.57–1.03)

0.074

 Widowed/Divorced/ Separated

2.46 (1.99–3.04)

< 0.001*

1.08 (0.78–1.50)

0.654

 Ever Married, Current Status Unknown

1.63 (1.07–2.49)

0.022*

0.79 (0.49–1.29)

0.348

 Ga (reference)

1

1

 Akan

0.59 (0.49–0.71)

< 0.001*

0.75 (0.61–0.92)

0.006*

 Ewe

0.85 (0.66–1.09)

0.190

1.0 (0.78–1.3)

0.938

 Northern Descent

0.65 (0.48–0.89)

0.007

0.87 (0.57–1.3)

0.503

 Others

0.87 (0.62–1.19)

0.359

1.13 (0.73–1.74)

0.581

 Orthodox Christian (reference)

1

1

 Non-orthodox Christian

1.11 (0.93–1.34)

0.222

1.32 (1.09–1.60)

0.005

 Muslim

1.04 (0.80–1.34)

0.752

0.97 (0.66–1.42)

0.886

 Others

1.47 (1.11–1.99)

0.008*

1.30 (0.93–1.73)

0.137

 Unemployed (reference)

1

1

 Formal employment

0.51 (0.38–0.68)

< 0.001

0.79 (0.57–1.10)

0.163

 Self-employed

0.56 (0.47–0.68)

< 0.001

0.70 (0.56–0.87)

0.001*

 Student /Apprenticeship

0.31 (0.22–0.43)

< 0.001

0.68 (0.46–0.99)

0.044*

 Others (Housewife/retired/Volunteer, etc.)

0.54 (0.36–0.81)

< 0.001

0.61 (0.40–0.92)

0.019*

 No children (reference)

1

1

 1 to 3 children (1–3)

0.77 (0.58–1.03)

0.082

1.04 (0.76–1.44)

0.796

 Four or more children (4+)

0.83 (0.63–1.09)

0.185

1.02 (0.76–1.37)

0.897