Reviewer ’s report  
 
Title: Is caregiving by Baby Boomer women related to the pre sence of depressive symptoms?  
Evidence from eight national surveys  
 
Version: 1 Date: 09 Aug 2018  
 
Reviewer: Christian Hakulinen  
 
Reviewer's report:  
 
This interesting study on an important topic. Results are clear and analyzes well conducted. I 
have few recommendations.  
 
 
1) Due to cross -section al design, I think that it would be better to state that women who are 
caregiving have more depressive symptoms than to say that caregiving is associated with 
depressive symptoms. Although it is likely that caregiving increases depressive 
symptoms, this ha s not been examined in the current study, and selection processes (e.g., 
individuals who become caregivers have more depressive symptoms in the first place) 
could also explain current findings. This could be also mentioned in the limitations.  
 
 
2) What was t he rational for selecting these specific studies in the current study? Did 
authors, for example, look for all the possible studies with open -access data?  
 
 
3) It is a bit unclear why country -level variables were inserted separately to the statistical 
models.  To me, it seems that these variables explain very little, if any, of the variability in 
the individual level, thus better option would be to include them at one single model.  
 
 
4) Instead of using CES -D cut -off points to divide participants to depressed vs.  not-
depressed, did the authors consider standardizing depression scores (e.g.., mean=0, sd=1) 
and then conducting analyses with the continuous measures?  
 
 
5) From table 1, at least following important descriptive statistics are missing: mean age 
(and sd), p revalence of caregiving status  
 
 
6) In addition to reporting prevalence of depressive symptoms in each study, symptoms 
scores (and standard deviations) should be reported for all individual studies and 
separately for those who were caregiving and for those w ho were not.  
7) The title of study is a bit misleading; by stating that there is "Evidence from nineteen 
countries" at least I assumed that that this 19 countries come from a single study. Thus, 
for example, "evidence from 8 survey studies" would work bet ter.  
 
 
 
Are the metho ds appropriate and well described?  
If not, please specify what is required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Does the work include the necessary controls?  
If not, please specify which controls are required in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are the con clusions drawn adequately supported by the data shown?  
If not, please explain in your comments to the authors.  
 
Yes 
 
Are you able to assess any statistics in the manuscript or would you recommend an  
additional statistical review?  
If an additional statistical  review is recommended, please specify what aspects require further  
assessment in your comments to the editors.  
 
I am able to assess the statistics  
 
Quality of written English  
Please indicate the quality of language in the manuscript:  
 
Acceptable  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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