Prevalence. Depression is widely prevalent in the adult population; in the National Comorbidity Survey the prevalence estimate for current major depression was 4.9% and for lifetime major depression was 17% (Blazer et al., 1994). These rates may be biased by recall problems. In a recent study, an indirect estimation method was used to estimate lifetime prevalence in Australia and the Netherlands. For both countries the model estimated that the lowest proportion of cases was much higher: 30% for men and 40% for women (Kruijshaar et al, 2005). In the elderly prevalence of major depression is much less, namely around 3%. But when less rigorous diagnostic criteria are used, 8 – 15% suffers from subclinical or minor depression (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 1995; ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇, 1999; ▇▇▇▇▇▇ 1987; ▇▇▇▇▇ & ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, 2000). In our rapidly aging population the absolute number of cases will become a large burden for the mental health care system. In 2007 for instance, 2,348,243 Dutch citizens (14.4% of the total population) will be over 65 years, and in 2017 this number will have risen to 3,002,165 (18% of the total population) (statistics from Central Bureau for Statistics, 2007). By that time the number of elderly individuals that need treatment for major and minor depression will have increased 28% (375,713 in 2007 versus 480,336 in 2017). These figures underscore the importance of prevention of depression, not only for the elderly but for the whole population.
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