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Adherence to Treatment for Depression

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Improving Patient Treatment Adherence

Abstract

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is often a chronic, recurrent, and debilitating health problem with a lifetime prevalence of 16.2% and a 12-month prevalence of 6.6% in the USA [1]. Left untreated, depression can have a significant negative impact on a person’s social, physical, and mental well-being and place an enormous burden on society. Patients with depression experience a higher incidence of premature death related to cardiovascular disease [2, 3] and are 4.5 times more likely to suffer a myocardial infarction than those without depression [3]. Depression in patients with diabetes is associated with increasing rates of vascular complications and increased mortality [4]. In terms of economic burden, the total cost of depression in the USA was estimated at $83.1 billion in 2000 [5]. Major contributors to depression-related cost were lost productivity and direct medical expenses, which accounted for $30–$50 billion each year [6]. Compared with nondepressed patients, health service costs for depressed patients are 50–100% greater, mainly due to higher overall medical utilization [7, 8].

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Carol D. Saur

  2. Geriatric Psychiatry, Durham, NC, USA

    David C. Steffens (Head, Professor)

  3. Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    David C. Steffens (Head, Professor)

Authors
  1. Carol D. Saur
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  2. David C. Steffens
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Correspondence to Carol D. Saur .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Duke University Medical Center, Erwin Road 2424, Durham, 27705, North Carolina, USA

    Hayden Bosworth

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Saur, C.D., Steffens, D.C. (2010). Adherence to Treatment for Depression. In: Bosworth, H. (eds) Improving Patient Treatment Adherence. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5866-2_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-5866-2_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-5866-2

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