[Concept and results of an awareness campaign: the "Nuremberg Alliance against Depression"]

Currently, only a small percentage of patients with depressive disorders receive adequate pharmacological or psychotherapeutic treatment. Apart from deficits in diagnosis and treatment, misconceptions and prejudice with regard to depression on the part of the public at large are major reasons for this situation. Fear of medical treatment, in particular, is common. Within the framework of a multilevel depression and suicide prevention program conducted in Nuremberg ("Nuremberg Alliance against Depression") in the years 2001 and 2002, an intensive public awareness campaign was undertaken; two telephone surveys were carried out to evaluate the outcome in comparison with a control region. The results revealed that awareness and knowledge of the condition among the public was considerably improved,while negative attitudes towards antidepressant medication remained unchanged.