Table 2 presents the results of the meta-analysis of the relationship between depression and number of stressful life events for each study for both sexes combined (n=12 520). Although the estimates for the individual studies were highly variable, the results of the meta-analysis across all studies reveals a direct association between the number of life events and depression (1 vs 0 stressful life event: OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.98-1.75; 2 vs 0 stressful life events: OR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.33-2.87; and ≥3 vs 0, stressful life events: OR, 3.21; 95% CI, 2.07-4.99). Sex-specific estimates show a similar pattern (eTable 1 available at http://www.jama.com).
