Geneva: Globally, more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from depression, World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Thursday.
Depression is a common illness worldwide, with more than 300 million people affected, equivalent to 4.4 % of the global population, WHO said in a release, noting that this number has increased by almost 18% within a decade.
Although there are known, effective treatments for depression, fewer than half of those affected in the world (in many countries, fewer than 10%) receive such treatments. Barriers to effective care include a lack of resources, lack of trained health-care providers, and social stigma associated with mental disorders.
