RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has just published 2006 and 2008 state based population rates for current depression in the United States.1 Using the seven questions from the patient health questionnaire 8 (PHQ-8) depression screening tool, which have been incorporated into their telephone administered Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey, they found that 9% of the respondents met criteria for current depression (present in the previous two weeks). This included 3.4% who met the criteria for major depression. The sample size for this survey is very large—more than 235?000—but the response rates can be low, varying by state from 37% to 73%.
These data were released by the CDC with an advertisement for and to coincide with “national depression screening day,” an annual event that takes place every autumn in the US during a larger programme called mental illness awareness week. More about this shortly.