Understanding Depression: A Long-Term, Recurring Disorder

Professor Montgomery opened the symposium with some revealing facts illustrating the wide-ranging impact of depression on the individual, the immediate circle of contacts, and society as a whole. Lifetime prevalence of depression in the United States has been estimated at 17%. Interestingly, the prevalence rates vary considerably between different countries. Whether this is a true reflection of cultural variation in the incidence of depression or whether the rate of reporting and detecting depression differs by country is not clear.