Depression Even at Low-Levels Is Costing You
If screening for depression is not atop your health care priority list, you might want to reconsider, and do so quickly. There is increasing evidence that “sub-threshold” levels, of depression are more prevalent and have more of an impact on wellness and productivity than experts may have suspected.
Estimates made from various studies indicated that depression cost the U.S. $83 billion and experts estimate that two-thirds of that resulted from lowered productivity and workplace absenteeism. Approximately 80 percent of people with depression even at a low level reported that their symptoms interfered with their ability to work, maintain a home, and be socially active. This applies to people who meet the formal diagnostic criteria for Major Depressive Disorder and Dysthymic Disorder, a less severe, chronic form of depression. What about individuals who experience less intense or less frequent feelings of depression, those who are in distress but do not meet the criteria for a diagnosis?
First of all, there is a large population of people struggling with lower levels of depression. Over 900,000 people have taken the HealthMedia® Succeed™, online health risk assessment. The following table summarizes the percentage of participant’s level of depression, indicating that 30% either experienced some level of depression or were in treatment for it:
| Depression Frequency | Prevalence |
|---|---|
| Rarely | 70% |
| 1-2 Days | 16% |
| 3-4 Days | 4% |
| 5-7 Days | 1% |
| In Treatment | 9% |
Looking at productivity impairment as measured by the Work Productivity Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire, gives us a glimpse into the level of distress these individuals experience. As the graph below indicates, those who report depression just 1-2 days per week show double the level of productivity loss compared to people who are rarely depressed. In an employee population with an average salary of $50,000 per year, the figures below translate into $3,500 of lost productivity per worker per year, for 16 percent of the workforce. For a company with 10,000 employees, “sub-threshold” depression could result in $5.6 million in lost productivity every year.
Based on these findings, there is a clear and growing need for widespread screening and identification for depression. An online assessment provides an easy mechanism to do this, because of its scalability, and because research shows that people are more likely to disclose sensitive information to computer-based assessment. It should also include a mechanism to refer people to the appropriate levels of care. Since many people with depression may never come forward for help, and many of those with sub-threshold depression may not need more intensive intervention — an online program could be an optimal solution to depression at any level.
Prevalence and Price
Traditional epidemiological studies, which estimate prevalence based upon formal diagnostic criteria, yield the following data on depression:
- 10 percent of the population suffers from depressive disorders
- Affects 21 million adults annually
- 7-12 percent of men
- 20-25 percent of women
The depression price tag includes:
- $51.1 billion in workplace costs
- $26.1 billion in medical costs
- $20 billion in medication costs in 2004 (up from $7.9 billion in 1997)
- $8,600 in direct per patient costs per year
- 27.2 annual lost workdays per worker