Depression prevention
Prevention programmes have been shown to reduce depression. Effective community approaches to prevent depression include school-based programmes to enhance a pattern of positive coping in children and adolescents. Interventions for parents of children with behavioural problems may reduce parental depressive symptoms and improve outcomes for their children. Exercise programmes for older persons can also be effective in depression prevention.
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Knowledge Gateway
Organisation of large-scale public awareness campaigns for the broad public using posters, cinema spots, information leaflets, brochures, public events and web presence. Such campaigns were aiming to improve knowledge about depression and reduce the stigmatisation of the topic and the affected individuals.
Educational workshops to various target groups (health care professionals, priests, counsellors, police, gatekeepers, paediatricians, community facilitators) to disseminate knowledge about depressive disorders
The Economic Case for Depression Prevention
Cost-effectiveness ratios for preventive interventions are attractive, with numbers needed to treat to prevent 1 case of depression ranging between 8 and 10, an effect size comparing favorably with established preventive interventions for other conditions (eg, number needed to treat=21 using statins for 5 years to prevent another myocardial infarction). In addition, the financial costs of averting 1 year lived with depression-related disability is below the current ceiling of $30 000 to $50 000 generally accepted by policy makers as cost-effective.
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