Abstract
Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide and can be diagnosed and treated in primary care clinics. No studies to date have demonstrated the prevalence of depression in rural, primary care settings in Mexico. The objective of this study is to describe the prevalence of visits for depression in primary care settings in one group of rural communities within Chiapas, Mexico. We performed a cross-sectional, retrospective study of depression prevalence in primary care clinics in the Sierra region of Chiapas, Mexico during the calendar year of 2014. We determined the average depression prevalence is 7.9% (6 community clinics, n = 4555). The prevalence of depression in rural Chiapas, Mexico is much higher than the Mexican national average of 4.0–4.5% found in a home-based survey. Further efforts to understand the causes, develop improved mental health services in primary care, and reduce the higher burden of depression in rural communities in Mexico are urgently needed.
Highlights
Depressive disorders are the fifth leading cause of years lived with disability globally and were responsible for 1.84% of disability- adjusted life years in 2016 [1,2]
This was a cross-sectional study aimed at determining the prevalence of depression in patients older than 18 years who presented for care at one of six Compañeros en Salud México (CES)-supported clinics
A separate screen was used to identify the total number of unique patients 18 years and older who were seen at CES clinics between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014 who received the diagnosis of depression by a physician
Summary
Depressive disorders are the fifth leading cause of years lived with disability globally and were responsible for 1.84% of disability- adjusted life years in 2016 [1,2]. Fewer than half of individuals suffering from depression worldwide receive any form of treatment [3]. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that an estimated 50% of patients suffering from depression do not receive treatment [3]. Depression can be both readily diagnosed and treated in primary care settings with existing tools. To emphasize the need for improvement, the WHO’s Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2020 set a global target goal of increasing service coverage for severe mental disorders, including moderate and severe depression, by 20% by 2020 [7]. In order to achieve this increase in coverage, it will be necessary to improve mental health related diagnosis and management in primary care, especially in rural and marginalized communities
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
