A new study reveals that untreated depression costs the U.S. economy $44 billion every year in lost productivity. Individuals with depression are responsible for a significant portion of these losses, while those without the condition cost the nation roughly one-quarter of that amount.
The study, led by Dr. Walter Stewart of the Outcomes Research Institute in Danville, Pennsylvania, shows that people with depression miss an average of 5.6 hours of work per week, compared to just 1.5 hours for non-depressed individuals. However, Stewart points out that the major factor contributing to decreased productivity is not the time missed but the reduced efficiency of depressed workers while they are at work. In fact, 81% of the productivity loss is attributed to workers not performing at their best.
The research, which supports previous findings, also highlights that women are more likely to suffer from depression than men, with 5.3% of women and 1.6% of men affected. Additionally, people with higher education levels and larger incomes are less likely to experience depression. Despite the widespread impact of the condition, fewer than 30% of those affected reported using antidepressants in the past year.
The study, which surveyed 3,351 individuals, was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in its special issue on depression.
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