Am J Psychiatry 1994; 151:979-986
Copyright © 1994 by American Psychiatric Association
The prevalence and distribution of major depression in a national community sample: the National Comorbidity Survey
DG Blazer, RC Kessler, KA McGonagle and MS Swartz
Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710.
OBJECTIVE: Major depression is a frequent and disabling psychiatric
disorder in the United States. This report examines the prevalence and risk
factor profile of both pure and comorbid major depression according to data
from the National Comorbidity Survey. METHOD: To estimate the prevalence of
psychiatric comorbidity in the United States, a national sample of 8,098
persons 15-54 years of age from the 48 conterminous states was surveyed
with a modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic
Interview. Results: From the survey data the prevalence of current (30-day)
major depression was estimated to be 4.9%, with a relatively higher
prevalence in females, young adults, and persons with less than a college
education. The prevalence estimate for lifetime major depression was 17.1%,
with a similar demographic distribution. Both 30-day and lifetime
prevalence estimates were higher than estimates from the earlier
Epidemiologic Catchment Area study. When pure major depression was compared
with major depression co-occurring with other psychiatric disorders, the
risk factor profiles exhibited clear differences. CONCLUSIONS: These
findings suggest a greater burden of major depression in community-
dwelling persons than has been estimated from previous community samples.
The risk factor profile showed significant differences between persons with
pure and combined major depression.
