Depression: A Global Health Problem, Says WHO

Sep 11: World Health Organisation (WHO) in its survey projected depression as one of the most devastating disease of present time. It says in its report that depression is a global health problem due to its relatively high lifetime prevalence and the significant disability that it causes.

It is also responsible for the greatest proportion of burden attributable to non fatal health outcomes, accounting for almost 12% of total years lived with disability.

WHO’s World Health Survey collected data on health and health-related outcomes by taking samples of adults and their determinants. Using the criteria given in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and related health problems on itstenth revision, the research reached the conclusion.

Along with depression the prevalence of four other chronic diseases angina, arthritis, asthma, and diabetes were also estimated.

It was seen that on a mean health score ranges between a low level of 0 to high level of 100, people without depression and without other disease scores 90 on the health scale, and people having only one of the chronic disease Scored 80 while, people with depression and other chronic disease had the lowest mean score of 73.This patterns were consistent after adjusting for socio-demographic variables.

Hence as the study suggests better treatment of depression would improve overall health of individual. In fact a combination of any of the chronic disease and depression makes one more disabled thereby decreasing the ability to tackle physical ailment.

Dr. Somnath Chatterji, WHO, led the team which gathered the data of over 240,000 people from 60 countries, found that average of 3.2 % of those surveyed has experienced depression in their lifetime.

The cost of human suffering due to depression cannot be estimated, while people suffering from depression do not seek medical intervention it continue to destroy family life as well as the life of the person.

People suffering from Depression keep on suffering and may prove fatal as it interfere with our day to day life, as one stop taking interest in work, studies, sleep and other activities..

Realising the symptoms that include anxiety, feeling of hopelessness, pessimism, lost of interest, fatigue, difficulty in concentration, irritability, digestive disorder, loss of appetite or over eating, insomnia or over sleeping etc.

Depression which affects our health, thoughts, relationship, and physical health has a biological and chemical basis and fortunately it is treatable. Seeking professional help of Psychologist and going through the ‘Talk Therapies’ will be of great help. Electro convulsive therapy is useful for treating severe depression and there are ante depressant to combat this disease.

Though depression is consistent among people of all age with high lifetime risk but is quite easy in diagnosis and treatment. However, the concern factor here is that even doctors are not aware of the kind of depression and they usually search for chronic diseases of the patients. So doctors need to take both into account as a better mental state can fairly improve physical disability, as WHO researchers have found.