(Source: Black Dog Institute, 2007)

1. Mood disorders are overall more prevalent among men in the 35-44 age group, while for women they are much more prevalent in the 18-24 age group. The lifetime risk of developing depression is 12% for men and 25% for women.
2. Depression can be inherited. The genetic risk of developing clinical depression is about 40% with the remaining 60% being due to factors in the individual’s own environment.
3. Depression is the fourth most common problem managed in general practice according to data on general practice activity for 2004-05.
4. Women are more likely than men to experience mood disorders. Equal numbers of men and women develop melancholic depression.
5. Suicide account for slightly more than one-quarter of all male deaths among the 20-24 age group.
6. Between 1995-2005 in Australia, the rate of suicide among males was four time higher than that of females.
7. The highest suicide rate for males  in Australia in 2005 was observed in the 30-34 years age group (27.5 per 100,000)
8. According to a World Health Organisation study, countries that reported the highest rates of adults who experience a mental disorder during any 12-month period (prevalence) were USA (26.4%); Australia (23.3%) and Ukraine (20.5%) in comparison to China (4.3%), Nigeria (4.7%) and Italy (8.2%).

For more information, visit www.blackdoginstitute.org.au.

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