Seeking medical treatment for depression can make a significant impact on a person’s quality of life. For men and women in Ontario, Canada, less than half are seeking this treatment. In addition, those who have been hospitalized for severe depression fail to see a doctor for follow-up care within 30 days of discharge. These findings were recently posted in Science Daily and suggest there is a need for a comprehensive care model that involves a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals to help both men and women to better manage depression and improve their quality of life. Researchers at St. Michael’s Hospital and the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) reported on these findings as a result of a new women’s health study: Project for an Ontario Women’s Health Evidence-Based Report (POWER). “As a leading cause of disease-related disability among women and men, depression puts a tremendous emotional and financial burden on people, their families and our health-care system,” says Dr. Arlene Bierman, a physician at St. Michael’s Hospital and principal investigator of the study. “Many Ontarians with depression are not treated for their condition and those who are often receive less than desired care. While there is a lot that is known about how to improve depression, we need to apply this to our work with patients if we want to improve the diagnosis and management of depression.” Data suggests that nearly half a million Ontarians aged 15 and older suffer from depression. Throughout the world, an estimated 154 million people are afflicted by the condition, which can lead to lost productivity, increased disability claims and greater use of healthcare services.
