Gender differences among millennials were similar but among adolescents there was a 65 percent increase for girls compared to a 47 percent rise for boys. Between 20 diagnoses increased 63 percent among adolescents and 47 percent among millennials (see Exhibit 3). The most dramatic rise in major depression diagnosis is among those under 35 years of age. Major depression diagnosis rates are steadily increasing across all age groupings.

Women are more than twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with major depression (6 percent compared to 2.8 percent, respectively), though diagnosis rates for each group rose by 33 percent since 2013 (see Exhibit 2).Īmericans diagnosed with major depression can also be divided into four age groups: adolescents (ages 12 to 17), millennials (ages 18 to 34), adults (ages 35 to 49) and mature adults (ages 50 to 64).

This diagnosis rate has increased steadily since 2013 across all gender and age groups. Major depression impacts the lives of 4.4 percent of commercially insured Americans, or roughly 9 million people.

This reduction in future healthy life expectancy is due not only to major depression but also to the increased likelihood of being diagnosed with other conditions that often coincide with a major depression diagnosis. This difference in overall health, on average, translates to a reduction in future healthy life expectancy of 9.5 years for women and 9.7 years for men. The overall health of people diagnosed with major depression as measured by the BCBS Health Index is 27 percent lower than for those without this diagnosis, due to diagnoses of both major depression and one or more additional health conditions (see Exhibit 1) 6. Only hypertension, with a nearly five-fold higher diagnosis rate, has a broader health impact on Americans. Major depression is the second most impactful condition on the overall health of commercially insured Americans, as measured by the BCBS Health Index. The Impact of Major Depression on Overall Health This results in more than two times higher overall healthcare spending ($10,673 compared to $4,283). People diagnosed with major depression use healthcare services more than other commercially insured Americans.Eighty-five percent of people who are diagnosed with major depression also have one or more additional serious chronic health conditions and nearly 30 percent have four or more other conditions. A key reason for the lower overall health of those diagnosed with major depression is that they are likely to also suffer from other health conditions.This decrease in overall health translates to nearly 10 years of healthy life lost for both men and women. People diagnosed with major depression are nearly 30 percent less healthy on average than those not diagnosed with major depression.Women are diagnosed with major depression at higher rates than men (6 percent and nearly 3 percent, respectively).This rate is rising even faster among millennials (up 47 percent) and adolescents (up 47 percent for boys and 65 percent for girls). Diagnoses of major depression have risen dramatically by 33 percent since 2013.Major depression has a diagnosis rate of 4.4 percent in the United States, affecting more than 9 million commercially insured Americans.

Depressive episode length