Prevalence, Treatment, and Control of Depressive Symptoms in the United States: Results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005-2008
- 1 January 2011
- journal article
- Published by American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) in The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine
- Vol. 24 (1), 33-38
- https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2011.01.100121
Abstract
Background:Depression remains a major public health problem that is most often evaluated and treated in primary care settings. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence, treatment, and control of depressive symptoms in a national data sample using a common primary care screening tool for depression. Methods:We analyzed a sample of adults (n = 4836) from 2005 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) to determine the overall prevalence, rates of treatment, and antidepressant control of mild, moderate, moderately severe, and severe depressive symptoms. Results:Of the sample, 20.1% reported significant depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) score, ≥5), the majority of whom had mild depressive symptoms (PHQ-9) score, 5–9). Even among individuals with severe depressive symptoms, a large percentage (36.9%) received no treatment from a mental health professional or with antidepressant medication. Of those taking antidepressants, 26.4% reported mild depressive symptoms and 18.8% had moderate, moderately severe, or severe depressive symptoms. Conclusions:Despite greater awareness and treatment of depression in primary care settings, the prevalence of depressive symptoms remains high, treatment levels remain low, and control of depressive symptoms are suboptimal. Primary care providers need to continue to focus their efforts on diagnosing and effectively treating this important disease.This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
- Nonresponse, partial response, and failure to achieve remission: humanistic and cost burden in major depressive disorderDepression and Anxiety, 2009
- Trends in Hypertension Prevalence, Awareness, Treatment, and Control Rates in United States Adults Between 1988–1994 and 1999–2004Hypertension, 2008
- Depression and anxiety associated with cardiovascular disease among persons aged 45 years and older in 38 states of the United States, 2006Preventive Medicine, 2008
- Is there an association between depression and cardiovascular mortality or sudden death?Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine, 2008
- Quality of life and depression of people living with type 2 diabetes mellitus and those at low and high risk for type 2 diabetes: findings from the Study to Help Improve Early evaluation and management of risk factors Leading to Diabetes (SHIELD)International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2008
- Depression in the United States Household Population, 2005-2006Nchs Data Brief, 2008
- Depression, the Metabolic Syndrome and Cardiovascular RiskPsychosomatic Medicine, 2008
- Risk factors for suicidality in Europe: Results from the ESEMED studyJournal of Affective Disorders, 2007
- The role of medical comorbidity in outcome of major depression in primary care: the PROSPECT study.American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2005
- Awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of depressionJournal of General Internal Medicine, 1999