The Official Journal of the Union publishes, this Tuesday (4), Law No. 14,543, of April 3, 2023, which establishes the National Depression Awareness Week, to be celebrated annually in the week that includes the 10th. of October. The law sanctioned by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is an initiative of Deputy Paulo Foletto (PSB-ES), with rapporteurship by Senator Zenaide Maia (PSD-RN). The text highlights that the National Depression Awareness Week will aim to promote debates, lectures and events covering all aspects of the disease; encourage the implementation and dissemination of public policies to combat depression; and publicize ways of accessing mental health care and the advances made in diagnosis and treatment. Vigitel Survey The 2021 Vigitel Survey, by the Ministry of Health, one of the largest health surveys in the country, shows that the frequency of medical diagnosis of depression was 11.3%, being higher among women (14.7%) than than among men (7.3%). “Among men, the frequency of this condition tended to increase with increasing education. In both sexes, no clear relationship was observed between the indicator and the age group”, says the document. Latin America According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Brazil is the country in Latin America with the highest prevalence of depression, in addition to being the second in the Americas. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and it is estimated that more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from this disorder, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
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