The Prevalence of Depression

Depression has been called the “common cold” of psychiatry, but just how common is it? In this chapter, the challenges of arriving at accurate prevalence numbers are considered, including the absence of historical data. Contemporary international prevalence figures for both point and lifetime prevalence of depression are reviewed. Depression is a significant public health problem because it is common, impairing, and often recurrent. Evidence is presented for the idea that the prevalence of depression is increasing. Although several lines of evidence support the idea that there is a contemporary depression epidemic, particularly among younger people, there are also important critiques that need to be considered. This chapter offers the reader tools for sifting through these claims.