Between 2013 and 2015, already 6% of Europeans suffered from depression. Restrictions related to the Covid-19 health crisis could increase this percentage.
- Before the health crisis, the prevalence of depression was high in several European countries.
- The long-term psychological repercussions of Covid-19 restrictions could further increase the number of people who suffer from depression.
Before the Covid-19 crisis, already 6% of Europeans suffered from depression according to a study published in the journal The Lancet. They were mostly young people and pregnant women.
To reach this conclusion, the researchers analyzed data from 258,888 participants from 27 European countries who were included in the second wave of European mental health survey carried out between 2013 and 2015.
In detail, the countries with the highest prevalence – the number of cases in a population at a given time, including both new and old cases – of depression are Iceland (10.3%), Luxembourg (9.7%), Germany (9.2%), Portugal (9.2%) and France (7%). Conversely, prevalence was lower in the Czech Republic (2.6%), Slovakia (2.6%), Lithuania (3%) and Croatia (3.2%). “Major differences are confirmed between countries, with prevalence rates up to 4 times higher in economically more developed countries, points out Jorge Arias-de Torre, the lead author of the study. This is surprising, because these countries have health resources far superior to other less economically developed countries.
The risk of suicide linked to depression concerns 10 to 20% of patients
15 to 20% of the general population has been or will be affected by a depression disorder during their lifetime according to the National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm). This disorder can occur at any age and is associated with major social dysfunction and/or personal suffering. Depression – which corresponds to a time when morale is less good – is to be differentiated from depression which presents itself as a succession of characterized depressive episodes. This can have serious consequences on the social functioning of the person because the symptoms are numerous: pathological sadness, loss of pleasure, almost permanent feeling of anxiety, sleep disorders, loss of appetite, etc. Physical health is also in danger, with a particularly high risk of suicide which concerns 10 to 20% of patients.
But, in 70% of cases, the treatments are effective. These may include antidepressant medication combined with follow-up psychotherapy. Certain life events, such as death, job loss or divorce increase the risk of depression. It can also be linked to other factors such as genetic or neurological ones.
The Covid-19 crisis could increase the prevalence rate
The restrictions imposed for months by the Covid-19 crisis have impacted the morale of a large part of the population, first and foremost students. According to a study published last February and carried out by the University of Boston, in the United States, 83% of the 33,000 students questioned throughout the country believed that their psychological state had repercussions on their performance and their academic results. And, according to that same study, depression and anxiety continued to rise among college students, with historic highs. In the fall of 2020, half of them were affected by one of these two conditions. Finally, two-thirds suffered from loneliness and felt isolated during periods of confinement.
The recent study published in the journal The Lancet encourages health authorities to refine their screening strategies for depression, especially since the long-term psychological repercussions of the Covid-19 crisis are not yet known. The number of people suffering from depression could increase further in the coming months.
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