Major depression is a chronic illness with a high prevalence and is a major component of disease burden. Depressive disorders were the second leading cause of years lived with disability in 2010 in Canada, the United States and globally.When depression-related deaths due to suicide and stroke are considered,
depression has the third highest global burden of disease.Major depression is growing in overall disease burden in Canada and around the world; it is predicted to be the leading cause of disease burden by 2030, and it is already the leading cause in women worldwide.
Between 1990 and 2010 in Canada, major depressive disorder showed a 75% increase in disability-adjusted life years,the second greatest increase in prevalence after Alzheimer disease; in comparison, the increase in the United States was 43%.
At the same time, the female:male ratio of global disability from major depression remained unchanged at 1.7:1. Although differences in socioeconomic factors, including abuse, education and income, may impact the higher rate of depression in women
