A study by researchers at the National Health Research Institutes found that 27 percent of people aged 50 and above with depression sought medical attention, and only 11 percent received effective treatment.
National Center for Geriatrics and Welfare Research associate researcher Wu Chi-shin (吳其炘), who is also a doctor in the Psychiatry Department of National Taiwan University Hospital’s Yunlin Branch, said yesterday that his research team found that the estimated prevalence of depression among Taiwanese in that age group is about 16.3 percent.
The study identified 1,253 people with clinically relevant depression out of 7,675 participants aged 50 and above in the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging, published in 2015, who were identified using the epidemiological studies depression scale and National Health Insurance records of depressive disorders.
Photo: Lin Hui-chin, Taipei Times
“Many people cannot differentiate between having depressive feelings and suffering depression,” Wu said.
Depression is marked by two weeks of one or a combination of symptoms including rapid changes in energy level, insomnia, excessive sleep, frequent negative thoughts and suicidal ideation, he added.
The study found that while 83 percent of people with clinical depression said it is convenient to access treatment, only 27 percent sought medical assistance, and only 11 percent were effectively treated, Wu said.
The study said that some factors lead to a higher willingness for a depressed person to visit a doctor, including being female, married, retired or unemployed; having a high education level or social group engagement; exercising regularly; and participating in leisure activities.
Previous studies have also suggested that people with depression have higher rates of frailty and mortality, he said.
About 50 percent of Europeans and Americans with depression seek mental health treatment, while the rate in Japan is about 30 to 40 percent, showing that Taiwan’s rate is exceptionally low, Wu said, adding that stigma is a primary reason for people not seeking mental health services.
The study’s suggestions for boosting treatment rates include increasing depression screening service sites, promoting psychiatry telemedicine for people who feel nervous about visiting a clinic, and encouraging community support for older people.
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