Global Health Issue: Depression

Mental Health
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Mental Health
Mental health and depression, in particular, is a major clinical and public health scare whose prevalence has risen steadily across the globe. In 2015 alone, the World Health Organization estimated that 4.4% of the global population suffered from depression, with the illness being much more predominant in females than males (Razzak, Harbi, & Ahli, 2019). A mentally depressed individual lacks the desire to be engaged in activities they usually enjoy, but even worse, the individual is plagued by persistent sadness. External stressors linked to depression are primarily psychosocial and environmental factors (Richmond et al., 2009). The list is inconclusive and, at times, speculative, considering that cultural influences and hormonal fluctuations have been highlighted as possible causes.
The predominance of depression implies that it has a major impact on the health care system. The disease has the habit of sulking into healthcare resources. For instance, estimations of this illness's annual cost were at an astronomical $83.1 billion (McLaughlin, 2011). Depression is among the leading causes of global disability levels. In the worst circumstances, it results in elevated morbidity and mortality. It creates the path for one to acquire other diseases such as ...