Depression in Australia and India

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Title: Depression in Australia and India

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Depression is characterized as among the most common causes of disability in the
world. It is affecting more than 16 percent of the total world population hence attracting more
attention from researchers. The World Health Organization projects that depression could be the
major cause of death come 2030. The symptoms of depression according to Yang et al. (2015)
are anhedonia, depressed moods, anergia, difficulties in concentration, disrupted or lack of sleep,
irritability, tendencies of suicide and lack of appetite. Byers and Yaffe (2011) also associate
depression with dementia, Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers, irritable artery disease,
aging, coronary artery disease and osteoporosis. Uchida et al. (2010) think that genetic factors
and external environmental factors (Bagot, Labonte, Pena and Nestler, 2014) lead to the onset of
depression. This article aims at comparing and analyzing the nature, effects, risk factors and
consequences (on health, economy and social) of depression in Australia and India.
Tiller (2013) claims that depression would be the second leading disability in Australia
come 2030. Suicide as a result of depression is the 4th largest cause of mortality in Australia. This
has led to the government coming up with initiatives such as the beyondblue to help fight this
disorder. In India about 8.6 percent of the elderly are affected by depression. This population is
projected to reach around 19 percent by 2050. Just like most nations, depression is one of the
most prevalent chronic disorder in India. Its prevalence is as twice as type 2 diabetes cases. The
middle aged (the working class) and the old are more affected by depression. Study indicates that
42.5 percent the employees in India are afflicted with depression.
Poongothai et al. (2017) associates depression with marital status, age, social class and
social conditions. In India, study shows that women are more affected by depression as
compared to men. This study also indicated that divorced and widowed individuals were more
depressed and that the rate of depression increased with the decrease in social class. The

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prevalence of depression is high in both urban and rural areas. The onset of depression in
Australia is during the adolescence stage. In fact adolescents and the youth indicate the highest
cases of depression. According to the Mission Australia’s Youth Survey in 2014, around 21
percent of the youth aged between 15 and 19 were affected by serious mental illness. According
to the Australian Government, Department of Health (2009) more than 3.2 million people aged
between 16 and 85 years are struggling with depression. Just like in India, survey in Australia
indicates that women are more affected by depression and other mental disorders as compared to
men. However, men are more likely to suffer from substance abuse depression as compared to
women (7 percent to 3.3 percent). In Australia, depression cases decline with increase in age,
with the young people reporting more cases of depression.
Just like in any other developed nation, depression has personal, social and economic
impacts in Australia. A survey on the impact of depression showed that one person among 5 is
affected by mental illness. The survey indicated that depression and other mental disorders have
a 24 percent burden as compared to other infections. A study by Reddy (2010) in India shows
that 3-4 percent of the total Indian population is suffering from major mental disorders with
around 7 to 10 percent having minor depressive disorders.
Some risk factors for factors such as genetics, illness, biochemical factors and stress are
universal for both nations. Research shows that about 30 percent of the depression cases are due
to genetics. However, factors such as personality and ageing differ in both nations. In Australia,
depression mostly affects the young generation. This has been highly attributed to substance and
drug abuse, family management practices (inconsistence in child management, parental non-
directives, perceptions of fathers being hostile and poor communication patterns), family
environment, academics and peer pressure. Depression among the elderly in India is thought to