More than 2 million U.S. youths depressed: study

      More than 2 million US teenagers have suffered a serious bout of depression in the past year, according to a federal government survey released on Tuesday.

      On average, 8.5 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 described having had a major depressive episode in the previous year, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported.

      But there were "striking differences" by sex, with 12.7 percent of girls and 4.6 percent of boys affected.

      Depression is the leading cause of suicide, which in turn is the third-leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds in the United States.

      "Combined 2004 to 2006 data show that rates of past year major depressive episode among youths aged 12 to 17 generally increased with increasing age," the researchers wrote.

      Researchers at SAMHSA and RTI International in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, prepared the report using data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

      More than 67,700 youths aged 12 to 17 answered questions about mood and depression. They were also asked to rate how depression affected them using the Sheehan Disability Scale, which measures impact on family, friends, chores at home, work and school.

      Researchers defined a major depressive episode as two weeks or longer of depressed mood or loss of interest or pleasure, and at least four other symptoms such as problems with sleep, energy, concentration or self-image.

      Nearly half of the teenagers who had major depression said it severely impaired their ability to function in at least one of the areas on the disability scale.

      "Fortunately, depression responds very well to early intervention and treatment," SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline said in a statement.

      本周二公布的一项美国联邦政府调查显示，美国超过200万的青少年在过去一年中受到过严重抑郁的困扰。

      据药物滥用及心理健康服务管理委员会（SAMHS）报告，平均来看，在美国12岁至17岁的青少年中，有8.5%的人在过去一年中经受了严重抑郁的困扰。

      但这其中存在明显的性别差异，分别有12.7%的女孩和4.6%的男孩出现过这种状况。

      在美国，抑郁症是导致自杀的首要原因，并且是15岁至24岁青少年的第三大死因。

      研究人员在报告中写道：“结合2004年至2006年的数据，12岁至17岁的青少年过去一年出现严重抑郁症状的比率总体上随着年龄的增长而上升。”

      SAMHS和北卡三角科技园RTI国际公司的研究人员们主要根据全美药物使用和健康调查的数据编撰了该报告。

      该调查针对情绪和抑郁等问题对超过6.77万12岁至17岁的青少年进行了访问。研究人员还让他们根据“席汉残疾量表”对抑郁症给自己造成的影响进行评分。“席汉残疾量表”主要衡量的是抑郁对个人处理亲友关系的能力以及在家庭、工作和学校中的表现所造成的影响。

      研究人员所定义的严重抑郁症的表现为：在两周或更长的时间内情绪低落、对事物失去兴趣、不快乐；同时至少出现四种其它症状，如睡眠质量不佳、精力不足、注意力不易集中和自信心下降等。

      在出现过严重抑郁症状的青少年中，近一半的人称抑郁严重影响了他们在上述至少一个领域的表现。

      SAMHS的主任特里•科莱恩在一份声明中说：“庆幸的是，早期干预和治疗对控制抑郁症十分有效。”