Cost of depression of adults in Taiwan

To estimate the direct cost of depression in Taiwanese adults for the years 2000-2002.

The medical claims database of the National Health Bureau was analyzed and the cost of treating adults (>15 years of age) with the diagnosis of depression was calculated.

The total direct medical costs of adult depression in the three years 2000, 2001, and 2002 were approximately US dollars 93 million, US dollars 117 million, and US dollars 140million, respectively.

The cost of depression increased continuously over the period from 2000-2002. However, the percentage of patients receiving treatment did not increase steadily over the same time period with treatment rates of 1.5% in 2000, 2.3% in 2001, and 2.0% in 2002. The recent annual prevalence of depression in Taiwan has been estimated at 4-5%. Thus, the Taiwanese health authority spends an annual average of US dollars 116.6 million to treat depression (1.2% of total national expenses). In sum, the treatment of depression, while costly, deserves greater attention by public health officials in order to avoid the already significant burden of this disease on both patients and society. Future research will therefore require more accurate statistical data in order to assess the effects of depression-related burdens on individuals and society, especially with respect to the capacity to work.