France, U.S. Have Highest Depression Rates in World, Study Suggests

Posted by R.J. Jacob ⋅ July 30, 2011 ⋅ Leave a Comment

Bloomberg
Oliver Renick

More people reported being depressed in France and the U.S. than anywhere in the world, according to interviews of more than 89,000 people in 18 different countries.

The study, sponsored by the World Health Organization, found that 21 percent of people in France and 19.2 percent of people in the U.S. reported having an extended period of depression within their lifetime. On average, 15 percent of people in high-income countries reported having an episode, compared with 11 percent in low-income countries, according to the study, published July 25 in the journal BMC Medicine.