Cited by 67Mental Health Treatment and AccessTreatment of Major DepressionChild and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development

What is needed to eradicate the depression epidemic, and why

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Ormel, Johan, Cuijpers, Pim, Jorm, Anthony, Schoevers, Robert A.·2020·Mental Health & Prevention

Abstract

Despite substantial investments in the treatment of major depressive disorder (hereafter ‘depression’), especially antidepressant medications and cognitive behavioral therapy, epidemiological data do not indicate that depression burden, as measured by the period prevalence, has decreased in recent decades. Although improving the delivery and quality of treatment will undoubtedly reduce episode duration and recurrence risk, and thereby reduce depression burden, the effect is probably limited because treatment does not always improve long-term outcomes. To further reduce the burden, prevention of depression episodes is crucial. Unfortunately, so far preventive efforts have not succeeded in reducing depression burden either. This, we argue, arises from a lack of socially-embedded structural prevention efforts and the difficulty of reducing the impact of major determinants. First we summarize the evidence on period prevalence and treatment trends and the limitations of current prevention strategies that have hampered both their effectiveness and large-scale implementation. Then we analyze the modifiability of major determinants of depression and identify the prerequisites for effective prevention to reduce depression burden and explain their importance. Prerequisites include embedment in major social institutions, structural funding, legal consolidation, starting early in life, simultaneous targeting of major personal and environmental determinants and their interactions. This includes addressing both poor parenting and children's maladaptive personality traits and insufficient life skills, and combining universal, selective, and indicated prevention strategies with an emphasis on universal prevention. Although it is necessary to determine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of the proposed prevention strategy, we think that without it, the depression epidemic will not subside.

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  • Missing elements to the implementation of large-scale and long-term prevention strategies are political will and adequate and effective financing and economic evaluation frameworks.

    “Missing elements to the implementation of large-scale and long-term prevention strategies are political will 272 and adequate and effective financing and economic evaluation frameworks. 273”

    From The Lancet Psychiatry Commission on youth mental health (2024) · cites this paper as [272]

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  1. O'Loughlin, K., Althoff, R. R., & Hudziak, J. J. (2017). Chapter A.14 -Health promotion and prevention in child and adolescent mental health. In JM Rey (Ed.). IACAPAP e- Textbook of Child and Adolescent Mental Health (pp. 1-23). Geneva: International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions.
  2. Ormel, J., & Jong, A.d. (1999). On vulnerability to common mental disorders. An evi- dence-based plea for a developmental perspective. In M. Tansella, & G. Thornicroft (Eds.). Common mental disorders in primary care. Essays in honor of Professor Sir David Goldberg (pp. 34-51). London: Routledge.

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Authors
Ormel, J., Cuijpers, P., Jorm, A., & Schoevers, R. A.
Affiliations
  • University Medical Center Groningen (NL)
  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
  • The University of Melbourne (AU)
Corresponding author
Ormel, Johan
Venue
Mental Health & Prevention
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-03
Volume
17
Pages
200177
ISSN
2212-6570 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2993195332
Cited by
67
References
156
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 7
FWCI
7.23
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Mental Health & Prevention (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion)
  • VU Research Portal (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
Keywords
depression, major depressive disorder, period prevalence, depression prevention, structural prevention, social determinants of mental health, parenting, personality traits, life skills, universal prevention, selective prevention, indicated prevention, treatment trends

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