Specialists warn that depression will become the most serious problem of the population worldwide during the next ten years and will outstrip cardiovascular diseases and traumas, IPN reports.

In a roundtable meeting staged on the occasion of World Health Day on April 7, Nicolae Rosca, head of the Control and Prevention of Noncommunicable Diseases Division of the Chisinau Public Health Center, said depression becomes more spread among children, teens and young people. 25% of Moldova’s population suffers from depression.

“If no measures are taken at world level during the next few years, depression will rank first. Currently, depression affects 5% of the global population,” stated Nicolae Rosca.

The young people are the main risk group. In Moldova, the number of women who suffer from depression is two times higher than of men.

University of Medicine professor Ghenadie Caraus said that we are witnessing an increase in the number of cases of depression. “Depression affects mainly people aged between 25 and 45. This means that the disease affects young people able to work. It is regrettable that in almost half of the cases, depression is not detected on time and is overlooked,” stated Ghenadie Caraus.

Aurelia Esanu, of the Chisinau Health Division, said that according to the estimates of the World Health Organization, depression will be the second cause of disability worldwide by 2020, immediately after cardiovascular diseases. “Among the factors that cause depression are poverty, serious diseases, social environment of the person, cases of disability, discrimination, unemployment, alcohol and drug abuse,” stated Aurelia Esanu.

World Health Day has been marked since April 7, 1948. Each year, the day’s themes are different and center on an area of concern for the WHO. This year’s theme is depression, which affects people of all ages and becomes more accentuated.