The theme of the WHO 2017 World Health Day campaign is depression.

Depression affects people of all ages, from all walks of life, in all countries, causing mental anguish and impacting on a person’s ability to carry out even the simplest everyday tasks. The fall-out may have devastating consequences for relationships with family and friends and the ability to earn a living. At worst, depression can lead to suicide, now the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year olds.

Inforgraphic courtesy of WHO

Find out more at http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2017/en/

According to WHO: Overall rates of psychiatric disorder are almost identical for men and women but there are gender differences found in the patterns of mental illness.

WHO has found that gender is a critical determinant of mental health and mental illness and gender differences occur particularly in the rates of common mental disorders such as anxiety, depression and somatic complaints. Such disorders, in which women predominate, affect approximately 1 in 3 people in the community.

In this years ‘Depression Let’s Talk’ Campaign Essentials WHO states that:

• in humanitarian emergencies and ongoing conflict as many as 1 in 5 people are affected by depression and anxiety;
• Common mental disorders are increasing worldwide. Between 1990 and 2013, the number of people suffering from depression and/or anxiety increased by nearly 50%. Close to 10% of the world’s population is affected by one or both of these conditions. Depression alone accounts for 10% of years lived with disability globally;
• Lack of treatment for common mental disorders has a high economic cost: new evidence from a study led by WHO shows that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy more than US$ 1 trillion each year;

‘Depression Let’s Talk’ attempts to underline the importance of talking about depression and combat the stigma surrounding mental illness, including depression. Talking about depression helps break down this stigma, ultimately leading to more people seeking help.

Find out more about the campaign by taking a look at the WHO Campaign Essentials http://www.who.int/campaigns/world-health-day/2017/toolkit.pdf?ua=1

Read about Mental Health and the SDG’s at Mental health included in the UN Sustainable Development Goals