EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MAJOR DEPRESSION - INCREA SING RATES OF DEPRESSIVE-DISORDERS

The findings of a number of recent major epidemiological studies in di fferent countries document an increase in the cumulative lifetime prev alence estimates of major depression with each successively younger bi rth cohort and a decrease in the age of onset of this disorder (Cross- National Collaborative Group, 1992; Klerman and Weissman, 1989). At th e same time comparably low depression estimates are found for the elde rly. The paper presents an overview of the major studies conducted in this area in recent years. The validity of the findings, their signifi cance for the aetiology of Major Depression and possible alternative e xplanations for the temporal trends are discussed. While much valid em pirical evidence confirms the increase of Major Depression in recent b irth cohorts, the low prevalence estimates in the elderly seem to repr esent at least in part an artifact of the research methodology.