U.S. panel recommends screening adults for depression

Published 2:59 pm Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Primary care doctors should screen all adults for depression, including pregnant and new mothers, an expert panel recommends. 

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) announced Tuesday that adults should be screened for depression. The panel found that waiting for patients to admit they are depressed will miss a significant number of people who escape detection.

Major depressive disorder is the leading cause of disability among adults in high-income countries according to USPSTF.