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Richard M. Glass, MD

JAMA. 1999;281:83-84.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Major depression is the fourth leading cause of worldwide disease burden, according to a recent study of premature mortality and disability around the world.¹ The disease burden attributable to unipolar major depression ranks after lower respiratory tract infections, diarrheal diseases, and perinatal disorders, but ahead of ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and tuberculosis.¹ It is hard to imagine more compelling evidence for the importance of diagnosing and treating depression effectively.

By itself, depressed mood can, of course, be a normal emotion and a normal part of the grief process following a loss. In contrast, the syndrome of major depression is characterized by persistent depressed mood, or loss of interest and pleasure, accompanied by characteristic symptoms involving changes in appetite, weight, sleep, and psychomotor activity; decreased energy; feelings of worthlessness or guilt; difficulty thinking, concentrating, or making decisions; and recurrent thoughts of death, or suicidal thoughts, plans, . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Author Affiliation: Dr Glass is Deputy Editor of JAMA.

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