Depression should be managed like a chronic disease: Myth of 15% suicide rate was promulgated again

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Melissa K Raven (melissa.raven@flinders.edu.au), lecturer

Department of Public Health, Flinders University, Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia

EDITOR—Scott's editorial arguing that depression should be managed as a chronic disease perpetuates the myth that 15% of people with depression will eventually commit suicide.1

A much cited meta-analysis in 1970 found that 15% of people with depression committed suicide.2 It focused primarily on people admitted with severe depression, so it should never have been generalised …