US panel recommends depression screening for all adults

The US Preventive Services Task Force has recommended that all adults aged 18 years and older be screened for depression, including pregnant and postpartum women.

The task force said that depression was the leading cause of disability among adults in high income countries and imposed a substantial burden of disease, affecting individuals, their families, and society as a whole.

The independent, volunteer panel of experts in preventive care and evidence based medicine was asked to make recommendations for preventive care services, such as counseling and preventive drugs, while weighing the potential benefits and risks, but not the …