[Depression, a widespread disease. Epidemiology, care situation, diagnosis, therapy and prevention]

According to a WHO study depressive disorders are the worldwide leading cause for life years lived with disability. Beside the direct costs of care, enormous indirect costs are caused by disablement and permanent incapacity to work. Furthermore, depressive disorders are often accompanied by suicidal behaviour, and they increase the mortality rate due to cardiovascular disorders. Despite their outstanding importance, there is a huge need to optimize diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in primary care, because depression is often masked by somatic symptoms. To achieve a correct diagnosis, the medical practitioner must actively explore the core criteria of depressed mood, diminished interest and pleasure, as well as fatigue and loss of energy. Improvement of early recognition and treatment of depressive patients is thus the main objective of modern awareness programs such as the "German Alliance against Depression", which was established in the framework of the German Research Network on Depression and Suicidality.