Epidemiology of depression and its treatment in the general population

This study examines the correlates of a major depressive disorder and its treatment in the general population. The sample was composed of 6694 individuals aged between 18 and 96 years, representative of the general population of the states of California and New York (48 million inhabitants aged 18 years or older). They were interviewed by telephone using the Sleep-EVAL system. The interviews included various sleep and health topics and the assessment of DSM-IV sleep and psychiatric disorders. The 1-month prevalence of a major depressive disorder was 5.2% in the sample, and was higher in women, middle-aged and non-Hispanic white individuals. Obesity (BMI > or =30kg/m(2)), poor health status and smoking were also strongly correlated with a major depressive disorder. A total of 57.7% of depressed subjects were receiving some forms of treatment for depression: 28.3% were taking antidepressants (alone or in combination with psychiatric health care) and 29.4% received psychiatric health care (without antidepressant medication). Severity of depression, ethnicity and weight (overweight or obese) were strongly associated with the presence of treatment. A major depressive disorder is frequent in the general population. Although its identification and treatment have improved over the years, some segments of the population, namely elderly and non-white individuals are less likely to receive appropriate care.