[Epidemiology of depressive disorders in Japan and the world]

Recent epidemiologic studies of community residents revealed that the prevalence of major depression according to DSM-IV criteria was 1-2% for 12 month and 3-7% for lifetime in Japan. The prevalence was much lower than that in Western countries but very similar with that reported in China, suggesting that the prevalence of major depression is lower in Asian countries. While women had a more risk of the disorder as seen in other countries, age and social class distributions were different from other countries. Among those who experienced major depression in Japan, 27% sought any medical treatment; only 14% saw a psychiatrist. The rate is lower than that reported from many Western countries, and is almost half of that in the U.S.