Final Report Part III ECHIM Pilot Data Collection Analyses and Dissemination

C
DATA ANALYSIS
Overall depression prevalence percentages (total age 15+) range between 0.8% in Romania and 7.1% in
Germany (21 countries average is 3.6%). In general there is a trend that women (total average 4.6%, maximum
9.1%) seem more often affected than the average of men (2.4%, maximum 5.1%) (see Figure 1.3.2.1).
Among the age group 15-64 years, prevalence percentages are usually lower (range 0.7 - 7.2%, average 3.1%)
than among the elderly persons aged 65+ (range 1.2% - 10.4%, average 5.2%; most strikingly high rates in Spain
and Italy).
Only Germany shows an opposite pattern where the labour force strata seem to be more affected by depressions
than the elderly.
In the cross-country comparison, Germany heads the statistic (except for the age strata 65+). The lowest
prevalence of diagnosed depression is reported from Bulgaria and Romania. This phenomenon might be
explained with cultural differences (social bias, underreporting, and see Section 4. REMARKS), a general problem
of MD accessibility, as well as major transitions in their national health care systems if compared with core EU
countries.
D
When data are interpreted by three educational levels (see Figure 1.3.2.2), there is clear evidence that the
prevalence is highest among the lower educated people with an average of 5.4%, a minimum of 1% in Romania
and a maximum of 9.1% in Germany. This is a visible socio-economic descent of prevalence percentages from
lower to higher educated individuals, though the magnitudes vary largely (e.g. Belgium versus Bulgaria).
Only exceptions from this general trend are reported for Latvia and Switzerland where the data for medium and
highly educated persons depict a slightly different pattern.
REMARKS AND FURTHER INFORMATION
All countries marked with an asterisk (*) participated in the first EHIS wave and their data were obtained from
Eurostat calculations. Remaining countries delivered their data as contribution to the ECHIM Pilot Collection.
For more and meta-information about the EHIS wave 1 please see [1a+b]
Depressions gained more attention in recent years which is partly related to rising competition and pressure upon
the individual in a globalized labour market and rapid sociological changes within communities and societies.
However, mental health problems are often still stigmatized and affected individuals might tend to hide their
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