Depression worse than diabetes ?!

Depression does more harm to a person's wellbeing than physical diseases such as asthma, angina and diabetes, a study has found.

By Jenny Hope
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/arti...in_page_id=1774


The World Health Organistion, which examined data on 250,000 patients in 60 countries, warned that depression has a far greater impact on public health than previously thought.

It found that on a scale of zero to 100 - with zero indicating worst health and 100 indicating best - sufferers of depression had an average score of 72.9.

This compared with "better" scores of 80.3 for asthmatics, 79.6 for angina sufferers, 79.3 for arthritis sufferers and 78.9 for those with diabetes.

In the UK, around one in four adults will suffer from depression in their lifetime but only a seventh of the NHS budget goes on mental health.

In 2000, scientists rated depression as having the fourth greatest public health impact.

But by 2020 they predict it will have risen to become the second leading cause of disease burden.

Dr Somnath Chatterji, who led the WHO study, said its findings demonstrated the urgent need to improve treatment for depression.

He added: "When people come for treatment for long-term chronic diseases, doctors tend to focus mainly on the physical diseases - they are not looking for depression.

"This study reinforces the importance of recognising and treating depression as part of chronic illness because it's a much more effective way to improve people's health than just dealing with chronic physical illness."

He added: "Treatment of mental illness is a necessity, not a luxury."

Details of the WHO research - the first global study comparing the impact of depression and chronic physical illnesses - are published in The Lancet medical journal today.

Professor Sue Bailey, registrar of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said mental health had moved up the public health agenda in the UK but was in danger of slipping back.

She added: 'It was being given similar priority to heart disease and cancer but from a lower baseline. We are worried it may fall behind again when this WHO study shows the full damaging impact that depression can have.'

She added: "Up to 50 per cent of all health contacts in Britain are for mental health problems, yet only 12 to 14 per cent of spending on health is allocated to mental health.

"We must make sure it remains a Government priority and one recognised by all branches of medicine."

Professor Mayur Lakhani, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, said: "This is a clinical disorder.

"We need to get away from the old way of thinking it was simply a matter of people pulling themselves together."

j.hope@dailymail.co.uk