Depression Cited As Top Cause of Medical Disability

The disease takes a toll, not just personally but economically, reports a U.S. mental health expert.

Thomas Insel, MD, director of the National Institute of Mental Health, attended the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, in late January, where he caused a stir with a presentation on the high cost of depression.

He recently spoke with AMNews about his remarks. How big a burden is depression?

It's the leading source of nonfatal medical disability among people ages 15 to 44 in developed countries like the U.S. and Canada...

Continue reading this story on the American Medical News web site.