Treatment Rates for Major Depressive Disorder Low Worldwide

Even bigger gaps in care seen for people living in low-income and lower middle-income countries

TUESDAY, Feb. 15, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Treatment coverage for major depressive disorder (MDD) continues to be low in many parts of the world, particularly in low-income and lower middle-income countries, according to a systematic review and Bayesian meta-regression analysis published online Feb. 15 in PLOS Medicine.

Modhurima Moitra, Ph.D., from the University of Washington in Seattle, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to estimate MDD treatment coverage and gaps by location and treatment type between 2000 and 2019.

Based on 149 studies, treatment coverage for health service use ranged from 51 percent in high-income locations to 20 percent in low-income and lower middle-income locations, while treatment coverage for mental health service ranged from 33 percent in high-income locations to 8 percent in low-income and lower middle-income countries. Rates of minimally adequate treatment ranged from 23 percent in high-income countries to 3 percent in low-income and lower middle-income countries.

“Treatment coverage for major depressive disorder continues to be low globally, with many individuals failing to receive a level of care consistent with practice guideline recommendations,” a coauthor said in a statement. “This highlights the need to reconsider the availability of appropriate care and facilitators of treatment as we respond to the large burden imposed by this disorder.”