Depression looms as global crisis
BBC News – September 2, 2009
Summary: BBC News reports that, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression will be the biggest health burden on society within 20 years. Over 450 million people currently are affected by mental disorders or disabilities. Dr. Shekhar Saxena of the Department of Mental Health at the WHO told the BBC that “WHO figures clearly show that the burden because of depression is likely to increase – so much so that in 2030 this will be the single biggest cause for burden out of all health conditions.” Dr. Saxena describes depression as a “silent epidemic” which will be a serious problem for developing countries in particular since they have fewer resources to allocate to mental health. Some startling facts about this “silent epidemic”:
- About half of mental disorders begin before the age of 14
- Around 20% of the world’s children and adolescents are estimated to have mental disorders or problems
- Most low- and middle-income countries have only one child psychiatrist for every 1 to 4 million people
- About 800,000 people commit suicide every year, 86% of them in low – and middle-income countries
- More than half of the people who kill themselves are between 15 and 44
- The highest suicide rates are found among men in eastern European countries
Source: WHO
Since the expectation is that the societal burden from mental illness is on the rise, Dr Saxena emphasizes the importance of changing societal attitudes towards mental illness. “Depression is as much of a disease as any other physical disease that people suffer from and they have a right to get correct advice and treatment within the same health care settings which look after other health conditions.”