Objective: To present the prevalence of depressive episodes, as well as the percentage of the population with medical diagnosis.
Material and methods: The definition of depression was based on a schedule with DSM IV diagnostic criteria. Using data from the 2002-2003 National Assessment Performance Survey, the prevalence of depression was estimated at the national level, by sex, age, education, size of residence community, and state. The percentage of individuals with medically diagnosed depression and the percentage of those under treatment were also estimated.
Results: The national prevalence of depression was 4.5%: 5.8% in women and 2.5% in men. The prevalence of depression increased with age and decreased with higher education. Among males, the prevalence was higher in rural than urban communities. A large percentage of affected individuals have no medical diagnosis.
Conclusions: Depression is a frequent disease in adults.A higher prevalence is associated with social vulnerability. The low percentage of diagnosis represents a challenge for mental health service planning and provision.