A Model for Prevention and Treatment of Depression in Developing Nations

Depression is an ubiquitous disorder with varied manifestations and afflicts people from every society. The illness constitutes z major public health problem because of its frequency of occurrence, the untold personal and interpersonal misery it causes and the severe socioeconomic repercussions it usually entails. I t is estimated that each year at least 100 million people in the world develop some form of clinically recognizable depression (Sartorius, 1975). Although enough knowledge exists today with regard to the understanding and control of depression, many depressives, especially in countries with poorly developed mental health facilities, either have no access to health care or remain undiagnosed or receive inappropriate treatment. Admittedly a lot has to be achieved in terms of developing programmes in these countries which would help to control the problem in the already ill population, through provision of better treatment and rehabilitative facilities and, perhaps more important, through programmes designed to prevent the occurrence of this disorder.