Health
Columbia University study finds roughly 10% of Americans experiencing depression
Rate is even higher among younger Americans.
September 20, 2022 2:26pm
Updated: September 20, 2022 9:48pm
A new Columbia University study provides bracing evidence that the number of Americans suffering from depression continues to grow in recent years, with roughly 10% of U.S. residents reporting some form of the ailment.
The study, published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, found that "the prevalence of past-year depression in 2020 was 9.2%," a jump of 8.6% form 2019 and 7.3% in 2015.
The study found that "the highest prevalences of depression across time were found among adolescents ... and young adults," aged 12-25, both demographics of which reported depression at rates of around 17%.
The researchers said the numbers point to "an escalating public health crisis in the U.S. even before the onset of the pandemic."
"Expanding evidence-based campaigns that promote early intervention, prevention, and education about depression are needed now," they wrote.