Preventing Depression

Prevention is feasible by providing quality interventions at key moments Each year, more than 800 000 adults1 and 95 000 children and adolescents2 are affected by depression. Depression is already a leading cause of both disability and premature mortality,3 and is likely to be second only to cardiovascular disease within 20 years.4 Even if effective treatments were provided to all those affected, the overall burden of depression ...

Ian B Hickie MD, FRANZCP

The reduction of coercive or inadequate parenting is essential if the mental health status of Australian children and adolescents is to be improved. Of the available approaches that address parenting practices, behavioural family interventions have the strongest empirical support and are effective in reducing parenting practices that contribute to the development of behavioural and emotional problems in children. However, only ...

Matthew R Sanders MA, PhD

Cumulative adverse experiences, including negative life events and early childhood adversity, together with parental depression and/or non-supportive school or familial environments, place young people at risk for developing depression. Enhanced life skills and supportive school and family environments can mediate the effect of stressful life events. Programs that enhance the school environment are associated with improved behaviour ...

Jane M Burns PhD, BA(Hons) · Gavin Andrews MD, FRANZCP · Marianna Szabo PhD, BA(Hons)

The prevention of some mental disorders in young people appears to be possible. Several small and medium randomised controlled trials show that some anxiety, affective and substance-use disorders can be prevented. These trials show that the interventions are efficacious, but whether they will be effective in routine practice is not known. The evidence is ...

Gavin Andrews MD, FRANZCP · David D Wilkinson MB ChB, MD

Significant perinatal distress and depression affects 14% of women, producing short and long term consequences for the family. This suggests that measures for early detection are important, and non-identification of these women may exacerbate difficulties. Screening provides an opportunity to access large numbers of women and facilitate pathways to best-practice care. A valid, reliable, ...

Anne E Buist MD, FRANZCP · Jeannette Milgrom PhD, FAPS · Bryanne E W Barnett MD, FRANZCP · Sherryl Pope PhD · John T Condon MD, FRANZCP · David A Ellwood MA, DPhil, FRACOG, FRANZCOG · Phillip M Boyce MD, FRANZCP · Marie-Paule V Austin MD, FRANZCP · Barbara A Hayes DNSc, FRCNA

I knew something was very wrong during the last trimester of my first pregnancy. I had overwhelming anxiety; I cried continuously; I couldn't sleep; I had panic attacks; I experienced obsessive fears that I could harm my unborn child; I thought I was "going mad". I was frightened to tell anyone, certain that I must be suffering from some untreatable mental illness. I was trapped ...

Lara M Bishop BAppSci, BA

Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in older people. Sequelae include unnecessary suffering, excess physical and social disability, exacerbation of co-existing illness, earlier death, and overuse of services. There are currently no reported public health approaches to prevent late-life depression. Five risk factors appear susceptible to community-level prevention programs: recurrent ...

Michael J Bird PhD, MPsych · Ruth A Parslow MPH, PhD

Objective: To determine if screening in general practice and related medical settings improves management and clinical outcomes in people with depression.Data sources: The Medline (1966–2002), EMBASE (1980–2002) and PsycINFO (1966–2002) databases were searched. These were supplemented by searching the Cochrane databases (to 2002); performing additional specific searches on Medline, EMBASE and PsycINFO; scrutinising reference lists of selected articles; and querying experts.Study ...

Ian B Hickie MD, FRANZCP · Tracey A Davenport BA(Hons) · Cristina S Ricci BSc(Hons)

Community awareness and understanding of depression ("depression literacy") underpins successful implementation of prevention, early intervention and treatment programs. Improving depression literacy is a major goal of beyondblue: the national depression initiative. Although other countries have previously attempted to address this issue, there is little evidence to indicate that those attempts have achieved their aims. Work in other ...

Ruth A Parslow MPH, PhD · Anthony F Jorm PhD, DSc

Efficacy trials suggest that depression is preventable in children and adults. However, current depression prevention interventions are not deliverable to the community en masse. The Internet offers an opportunity to deliver tailored prevention interventions such as those based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to a large audience, cost-effectively, while preserving intervention fidelity and anonymity. The Internet offers ...

Helen Christensen MPsychol(Hons), PhD · Kathleen M Griffiths BSc(Hons), PhD