HEALTH REPORT –August 21, 2002: Testing for Depression

By Lawan Davis
This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

Depression is a medical condition that causes intense feelings of sadness. Depression interferes
with daily life.

Common signs of depression are lack of energy, loss of interest in things you once enjoyed,
difficulty thinking, problems sleeping or eating and thoughts of death. Depression also can be
hidden by physical problems such as headache, back pain, and stomach sickness.

PET scan of

depressed brain Often, people suffering depression do not realize their feelings of sadness are
due to a medical condition. They do not seek medical treatment.

Medical experts say depression can affect anyone. There is no way to prevent it. However, the
disease can be treated successfully. The sooner an affected person gets medical help, the better
the chances of a quick and full recovery.

After recovery

Depression is a common illness in the United States. It affects about twenty-million adults.
(Photos -U.S.

However, as many as two-thirds of them do not seek medical treatment for depression.
National Institute
of Mental Health)

The United States Preventive Services Task Force is a group of health experts. The group examines published
research and makes suggestions about preventive health care.

The Preventive Services Task Force recently published a study that says doctors should test all adult patients for
depression during normal office visits. Alfred Berg of the University of Washington in Seattle led the study.
Doctor Berg says there is no evidence that one method of testing for depression works better than another
method. He says asking two simple questions worked as well as using more complex methods.

The two questions are: “Have you felt sad or hopeless during the past two weeks?”And, “Have you felt little
interest or happiness in doing things?”If a patient answered “yes”to either question, the doctor asked more
detailed questions. These questions helped establish whether the problems were temporary or if they had lasted
longer than a normal time. The questions also established if the problems interfered with the patient’s daily
activities.

Medical experts say patients can be successfully treated for depression with medicines or by talking with a
trained professional who treats mental disorders.

This VOA Special English Health Report was written by Lawan Davis.

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