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Chapter 7 - Depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2024

By
Adelola Idowu  and
David M. L. Branford
Edited by
David M. L. Branford ,
Satheesh K. Gangadharan ,
Mary Barrett  and
Regi T. Alexander
David M. L. Branford
Affiliation:
Independent Pharmacy Consultant
Satheesh K. Gangadharan
Affiliation:
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
Mary Barrett
Affiliation:
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust
Regi T. Alexander
Affiliation:
Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
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Summary

Depressive disorders are very common and are among the leading causes of disability worldwide. The worldwide prevalence of depression is estimated to be 4.4 per cent and prevalence in the UK is 4.5 per cent . The point prevalence of affective disorder in a large population study with intellectual disability (n=1023) was 6.6 per cent, based upon expert clinical assessment, compared with 5.7 per cent, 4.8 per cent, and 3.6 per cent for diagnoses made according to various standard criteria, respectively (Cooper et al. 2007). However, other authors have suggested higher rates of depression based on a broader criterion for a diagnosis. Depression is a common mental health problem but can be difficult to diagnose in people with intellectual disability. Antidepressants are in many areas the most widely prescribed mental health medication. The chapter presents an overview of the condition, the treatments with medication available, and their relevance.

Keywords

depressionmood disorderantidepressantspsychological treatments
Type
Chapter
Information
The Frith Prescribing Guidelines for People with Intellectual Disability , pp. 87 - 101
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2024

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References

Key Guidelines

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2009) Guidance for the treatment of depression in adults with chronic physical health problems (CG91). www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg91.Google Scholar
British Association for Psychopharmacology (2015) Evidence-based guidelines for treating depressive disorders with antidepressants: A revision of the 2008 guidelines. www.bap.org.uk/pdfs/BAP_Guidelines-Antidepressants.pdf.Google Scholar
American Psychological Association (2019) Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of depression across three age cohorts: Recommendations for the general adult population from the APA Guideline Development Panel for the Treatment of Depression. www.apa.org/depression-guideline.Google Scholar
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2016) Guidance NG54: Mental health problems in people with learning disabilities: prevention, assessment, and management. www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng54.Google Scholar
Taylor, D. M., Barnes, T. R. and Young, A. H. (2021). The Maudsley prescribing guidelines in psychiatry. John Wiley & Sons.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

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