SOURCE: NIMH
“Major Depression Among Adults”
12-month prevalence of Major Depressive Episodes Among U.S. Adults (2015)
SOURCE: WHO
Depression Fact Sheet. Updated February 2017
- Globally, more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression.
- Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is a major contributor to the overall global burden of disease.
Post-partum depression affects 1 in 6 women who have given birth.
SOURCE: Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
“Facts & Statistics”
Nearly one-half of those diagnosed with depression are also diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.
Major Depressive Disorder
The leading cause of disability in the U.S. for ages 15 to 44.3
Affects more than 15 million American adults, or about 6.7 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year.
While major depressive disorder can develop at any age, the median age at onset is 32.5
More prevalent in women than in men.
Persistent depressive disorder, or PDD
Formerly called dysthymia, is a form of depression that usually continues for at least two years.
Affects approximately 1.5 percent of the U.S. population age 18 and older in a given year. (about 3.3 million American adults).
The median age of onset is 31.1
SOURCE: Rand Corporation
“Invisible Wounds: Mental Health and Cognitive Care Needs of America’s Returning Veterans”
Approximately 18.5 percent of U.S. servicemembers who have returned from Afghanistan and Iraq currently have post-traumatic stress disorder or depression; and 19.5 percent report experiencing a traumatic brain injury during deployment.
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control
“Depression is Not a Normal Part of Growing Older”
How is Depression Different for Older Adults?
- Older adults are at increased risk. We know that about 80% of older adults have at least one chronic health condition, and 50% have two or more. Depression is more common in people who also have other illnesses (such as heart disease or cancer) or whose function becomes limited.
- Older adults are often misdiagnosed and undertreated. Healthcare providers may mistake an older adult’s symptoms of depression as just a natural reaction to illness or the life changes that may occur as we age, and therefore not see the depression as something to be treated. Older adults themselves often share this belief and do not seek help because they don’t understand that they could feel better with appropriate treatment.
How Many Older Adults Are Depressed?
The good news is that the majority of older adults are not depressed. Some estimates of major depression in older people living in the community range from less than 1% to about 5% but rise to 13.5% in those who require home healthcare and to 11.5% in older hospital patients.
SOURCE: NAMI
“Depression in Older Persons” Fact Sheet
Depression affects more than 6.5 million of the 35 million Americans aged 65 or older. Depression in older persons is closely associated with dependence and disability and causes great distress for the individual and the family.
SOURCE: NIH
“Major Depression Among Adolescent”