More depression diagnosed in Lower Saxony
According to data from a health insurance company, people in Lower Saxony are increasingly suffering from depression. The number of patients in the state with recurring depression rose by 84 percent between 2012 and 2022, the commercial health insurance company KKH announced on Wednesday, citing data from its own policyholders. This puts Lower Saxony above the national average - in Germany as a whole, the increase during this period was 67 percent. According to its own information, the KKH is one of the largest statutory health insurance companies in Germany with around 1.6 million insured persons.
According to the health insurance company, the first signs of depression can be a lack of energy, listlessness and irritability, which in turn can be triggered by traumatic experiences or personal crises. According to the KKH, significantly fewer insured persons suffer from recurring depression than from a single depressive episode. However, the sharp increase indicates that more patients are suffering relapses.
The proportion of insured persons who experienced a depressive episode was 10.3 percent in Lower Saxony in 2012, rising to 11.8 percent in 2022. The proportion of insured persons with recurrent depression rose from 2.4 to 4.5 percent between 2012 and 2022. Last year, a total of around 12,000 people insured with the health insurance fund in the state suffered from one or both forms of depression.
The rise in depression cases has led to an increased focus on mental health services in Lower Saxony, aiming to combat the associated diseases and improve overall health outcomes. Efforts are underway to develop and implement effective treatment plans for those suffering from depression, both in a single episode and in recurring cases.
Source: www.dpa.com
