Abstract
Depression is a leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost and projected to be more so within a generation. Mood disorders were implicated in 10% of all hospitalizations in 2004. Despite major advances in depression-care management, there is little expectation that health policy will generate the necessary number of mental health providers to meet the need. Moreover, only 50% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) fully respond to initial antidepressant treatment. At best, an additional 33% will recover when the antidepressant is switched to another agent or augmented with a second antidepressant or psychotherapy. For those who do recover, 40% to 60% will experience recurrence depending on the severity of the initial episode. As a result, the need to prevent depression is imminent and numerous studies suggest that the means may be at hand.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 28-34 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Primary Psychiatry |
Volume | 14 |
Issue number | 9 |
State | Published - Sep 2007 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Psychiatry and Mental health