Social support programs reduce depression
Programs may cut depression prevalence in half : The discovery that neighborhood social support programs reduce depression in their local communities is important for many reasons. First, depression is the most prevalent mental disorder, with debilitating consequences that disrupt work, education, and family. Second, because it is so highly prevalent, there is almost never enough treatment available to take care of all who suffer from depression. Third, in poor settings, local people cannot afford either these disruptions or treatment. And fourth, policy makers always have difficult decisions to make: how to take scarce resources –funding – and invest it to get the greatest benefit.
