Impact and Severity

Last update: 06/10/2008

Mental disorders can have a big impact on mental well-being, social relationship and work productivity, leading to a worsening of Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) measures and an increase of Work Loss Days (WLD).

§ Individuals with major depression report, on average, about 25% of work loss days, while people that suffer from heart diseases or diabetes report 18% and 12%, respectively.

§ About two thirds of the individuals with depression report severe interference with normal functioning, representing a much higher proportion than individuals with physical chronic conditions (including chronic pain).

§ Mood disorders (major depression episode and dysthymia) markedly reduce the mental quality of life (QoL) component (about 1 standard deviation in the SF-12).

§ In addition, mood disorders also have a moderate impact on the physical QoL component (almost half a standard deviation), just a little less than the physical impact of heart disease or diabetes (which, on average, do not affect mental QoL levels).

§ Impact of anxiety disorders and alcohol disorders report a significant functional impairment and lowered health related quality of life, but less than those with mood disorders.

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Used for this summary:

ESEMeD/MHEDEA 2000 Investigators.Disability and quality of life impact of mental disorders in Europe: results from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD) project.
Acta Psychiatr Scand 2004;109(supp. 420): 38-46

Alonso J, Lepine JP.Overview of key data from the European Study of the Epidemiology of Mental Disorders (ESEMeD).
J Clin Psychiatry 2007;68(Suppl 2): 3-9

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List of Articles related to Impact and Severity

Alonso J, Codony M, Kovess V, Angermeyer MC, Katz SJ, Haro JM, de Girolamo G, de Graaf R, Demyttenaere K, Vilagut G, Almansa J, Lepine JP, Brugha TS, on behalf of the ESEMeD-MHEDEA 2000 investigators.. Population level of unmet need for mental healthcare in Europe.
Br J Psychiatry 2007;190:299-306

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