An estimated 17 million US adults ages 18 and older (8.0 percent of population) reported experiencing at least one major depressive episode during the past year, according to a new Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) document. Around two thirds of them reported receiving treatment for that depression in the past year, according to the new report, "Depression among Adults."

SAMHSA extracted the data from the 2004 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which for the first time asked adults questions reflecting the criteria for major depressive episodes in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM- IV).

That manual specifies that a major depressive episode is two weeks or longer during which there is either depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure and at least four other symptoms that reflect a change of functioning, such as problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration or self-image.

During the 12 months prior to the interview, 65.1 percent of adults who had experienced a major depressive episode in the past year reported seeing or talking to a medical doctor or other health professional, or taking prescription medications for depression.

"The good news is almost two thirds of people with depression are seeking help," SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie said. "Clearly, we are making progress in overcoming the stigma that has prevented people from seeking help. Mental illness is not a scandal. It is an illness. It is a treatable illness. And most important, we need to send the message that with help there is hope, and recovery is the expectation."

Past month illicit drug use was nearly twice as high among adults who had experienced a major depressive episode (14.2 percent) than among adults who had not experienced such an episode (7.3 percent), and cigarette use was much more likely.
The data show 39.7 percent of adults who suffered a major depressive episode in the past year smoked cigarettes during the past month compared with 25.9 percent of adults 18 and older who did not have a major depressive episode.

Women were almost twice as likely as men to report a major depressive episode in the past year (10.3 percent versus 5.6 percent) and women who experienced a major depressive episode were more likely to receive treatment for depression (70.1 percent) than their male counterparts (55.2 percent).

Major depressive episodes are more prevalent among adults ages 18-49, approximately 9-10 percent, than among adults ages 65 or older (1.3 percent).

SAMHSA defines illicit drugs as marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, hallucinogens, heroin or non-medical use of prescription drugs. The National Survey on Drug Use and Health surveys close to 70,000 people ages 12 and older in their homes each year.
The report and the complete survey are available on the web at http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/.