Depression

WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO SCREEN FOR DEPRESSION IN PRIMARY CARE?

• Early identification and proper treatment significantly decrease the negative impact of depression on most patients³.
• Primary care clinicians often act as gatekeepers to other services, so recognition of depressive symptoms may be critical in order for patients to gain access to professional mental health care².
• Between 5-9% of adult patients in primary care suffer from depression.
• Depression increases health care utilization and costs $17 billion in lost workdays each year.
• Despite its high prevalence in primary care and its substantial economic impact, depression often goes unrecognized in the primary care setting¹.
• Screening improves the accurate identification of depressed patients in primary care settings and treatment of depressed adults identified in primary care settings decreases morbidity¹.
• The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends screening adults for depression within primary care practices that have systems in place to assure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and follow-up: the BHL works to facilitate these three components.

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