Many people with depression also have this in common

Medical Attention
Many people with depression also have this in common

An estimated 15 million Americans struggle with depression in a given year. But how many of those who are living with depression are actually treated? A new study found an alarming discrepancy.

The research, published in the journal JAMA International Medicine, found that less than a third of people who screen positive for depression are actually receiving treatment.

For the study, the researchers looked at self-reported survey data of more than 46,000 people. While they found that approximately eight percent had depression, less than 30 percent of those people received treatment during the year when the survey was conducted.

Interestingly, the researchers also found that some patients were over-treated for depression. Many with milder forms of depression received antidepressants “despite evidence that these medications have little or no therapeutic benefit for mild depression,” said lead researcher Dr. Mark Olfson in a press release.

Sarah Katula, PhD., an advanced practice nurse in psychiatry at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, Ill., isn’t surprised by the findings. “Antidepressant use has increased by over 400 percent since the late 1980s, according to a study in JAMA using CDC National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data,” she says. “We are a culture of quick fixes, and pills are considered a quick fix.”

But why the disparity when it comes to people with depression going untreated?

The reasons vary. “Some adults who experience depressive symptoms do not believe they are significant and require medical attention or that they could benefit from treatment,” said Dr. Olfson.

Dr. Judy Woodburn, an Advocate Medical Group clinical psychologist at BroMenn Medical Center in Normal, Ill. says other reasons include:

• Lack of knowledge of appropriate treatment resources.
• Limited access to appropriate treatment due to lack of insurance, financial limitations, limited resources in the patient’s community, lack of transportation and inability to get time off work.
• Stigma around mental illness. For example, in some cultures, seeking help outside the family is frowned up and may prevent someone from receiving help.

In order to increase the likelihood of treatment, the message needs to change. “Depression is treatable,’ says Katula. “With mild to moderate depression, there is evidence that talk therapy is the most helpful treatment option and with more severe depression, medication and talk therapy combined were found to be the most helpful.”

In addition, Dr. Woodburn says it is crucial that screenings are followed up by thorough evaluations. “While it might appear someone is depressed from a basic depression screening, sometimes follow ups find other root causes like hypothyroidism, sleep apnea, hormonal changes, Vitamin D deficiency or other medical issues,” she says. “This too reinforces the need for primary care providers and mental health providers to collaborate in the evaluation and treatment of patients.”