[Costs of Depression in Germany - Systematic Review]

Area of Science:

• Health Economics
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Depression is a prevalent mental health condition.
• It imposes a substantial economic burden on society.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review cost-of-illness studies for depression in Germany.
• To analyze the economic impact of depression.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a systematic literature search for bottom-up cost-of-illness studies.
• Included studies focused on adults with depression in Germany.
• Classified studies based on costing approaches: total healthcare, disease-specific healthcare, and excess costs.

Main Results:

• Average annual costs per patient varied: €400-€3,300 for disease-specific costs, €3,000 for excess costs, and €3,000-€5,000 for total healthcare costs.
• Most studies lacked data on indirect costs.

Conclusions:

• Depression is associated with high economic costs in Germany.
• There is a significant gap in the literature regarding indirect costs.
• Further research should prioritize examining indirect costs to fully understand the economic burden of depression.