Among the general population, prevalence is 1 in 6: "In the NCS-R, the lifetime prevalence of major depressive disorder among the 9,090 adult participants was

Among the general population, prevalence is 1 in 6: "In the NCS-R, the lifetime prevalence of major depressive disorder among the 9,090 adult participants was 16.2%, with a 12-month prevalence of 6.6%. The NESARC, which included more than 43,000 adults found slightly lower prevalence rates than the NCS-R (13.25% lifetime and 5.28% 12-month), perhaps because the sample included previously omitted groups of individuals with lower prevalence rates (655). A number of sociodemographic factors appears to be associated with an increased prevalence of major depressive disorder, including female sex, being middle-aged, being never or previously married, having a low income, being unemployed, or being disabled (655, 976), In the NESARC, being Native American increased risk relative to being Caucasian, whereas being Asian, Hispanic, or black decreased risk." from the American Psychiatric Association Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder http://www.psychiatryonline.com/pracGuide/pracGuideTopic_7.aspx http://www.psychiatryonline.com/pracGuide/pracGuideTopic_7.a... specifically http://www.psychiatryonline.com/content.aspx?aID=655908 http://www.psychiatryonline.com/content.aspx?aID=655908