Depression highest among Indians: WHO study

Indians are the world's most depressed people, according to a study by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The study found that nearly 36 per cent of Indians suffer from Major Depressive Episode (MDE), the most common type of clinical depression caused by stress, emotionally traumatic events or losses.

The average age of depression in India is 31.9 years compared to 18.8 years in China, and 22.7 years in the US.

"Depression can arise from day-to-day activities. However, MDE is much more serious. This is the feeling of tremendous helplessness, and worthlessness," commented Psychiatrist Dr Jitender Nagpal from VIMHANS.

"Increased stress, lonely lives and the falling apart of the social support systems like joint families is a major cause of growing depression among Indians," he said.

The study, published in the BMC Medicine journal, is based on interviews of more than 89,000 people in 18 different countries.

In India, around 9 per cent of people reported having an extended period of depression within their lifetime.

It was also found that average percentage of MDE was considerably higher in higher-income countries at 28.1 per cent, compared to 19.8 per cent in the low-to middle-income countries.

Women are twice as likely to suffer depression as men and the loss of a partner, whether from death or divorce, was a main factor, the study reveals.

Meanwhile, Indian health officials have rejected the WHO report saying the figure was highly inflated and did not represent the entire country.

A total of 11 centres across India participated in WHO's Mental Health Survey conducted from 2000-05. Results from Bangalore, Ranchi, Chandigarh and other centers were not included in the data.

The Health Ministry has sought details of the WHO-sponsored World Mental Health Survey Initiative findings.

WHO ranks depression as the fourth leading cause of disability worldwide and projects that by 2020, it will be the second leading cause. Depression currently affects over 120 million people worldwide.