How Common Is Depression?

It has been estimated that 9.5% of adults in the United States have a depressive disorder in a given one-year period, and that 5% of children and  adolescents ages 9 to 17 have major depressive disorder in a given six-month period. Although depression occurs across the full range of the lifespan, rates of depressive disorders vary by age as well as by other demographic factors such as gender, socioeconomic status (SES), and race/ethnicity. In general, rates of depression increase with age, but potential developmental differences in the symptoms of depression make direct comparisons difficult. Preadolescent boys are about equally as likely as preadolescent girls to have a depressive disorder. However, higher rates of depression for females begin to emerge in adolescence, and persist into and throughout adulthood. It has been estimated that 5 to 12% of men and 10 to 25% of women experience depression at some point in their lives. As for most mental disorders, rates of depression increase with decreasing SES.  Although research on ?? has been limited to date, existing studies suggest that rates of depression in racial and ethnic minority groups are probably similar to or higher than for whites.

What Other Disorders Are Common

in People with Depression?

A significant proportion of adults and most children and adolescents with depression have comorbid (co-occurring) psychiatric disorders and/or medical conditions. Common comorbid mental disorders include anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, eating disorders, and behavioral disorders in children. It has been estimated that about 20 to 25% of people with certain medical conditions have depressive disorders as well.