Table 3. MDD Characteristics, Clinical Correlates, Specifiers, and Treatment.
| Characteristic | Lifetime MDD (n = 7432) | MDD Began in Past 12 mo (n = 448) |
|---|---|---|
| Age at onset of first episode, mean (SE), y | 29.05 (0.21) | 39.14 (1.01) |
| No. of lifetime episodes, mean (SE) | 3.86 (0.10) | 1.48 (0.05) |
| Duration of longest or only lifetime episode, median (SE), wk | 25.90 (1.47) | 8.81 (0.69) |
| 2-3 | 8.59 (0.38) | 18.34 (1.96) |
| 4-8 | 12.26 (0.47) | 20.01 (2.48) |
| 9-12 | 9.24 (0.42) | 14.72 (2.20) |
| 13-25 | 11.66 (0.44) | 20.97 (2.64) |
| 26-51 (Half-year or more but <1 y) | 14.17 (0.50) | 25.96 (2.70) |
| 52-103 (Year or more but <2 y) | 14.40 (0.42) | NA |
| ≥104 (≥2 y) | 29.68 (0.81) | NA |
| DSM-5 Specifiers and Bereavement, % (SE) | ||
| Severitya | ||
| Mild (5 symptoms) | 10.80 (0.41) | 14.38 (1.98) |
| Moderate (6-7 symptoms) | 39.67 (0.78) | 38.81 (3.11) |
| Severe (8-9 symptoms) | 49.53 (0.72) | 46.81 (2.97) |
| Anxious/distressed specifiera | 74.63 (0.61) | 70.04 (2.22) |
| Mixed-features specifierb | 15.53 (0.63) | 20.63 (2.36) |
| Bereavement (DSM-IV)c | 12.91 (0.46) | 15.50 (1.80) |
| Lifetime Treatment | ||
| Any treatment for MDD, % (SE) | 69.42 (0.71) | 51.93 (3.15) |
| Medication | 53.11 (0.80) | 36.93 (2.98) |
| Talk therapy with a professional | 62.49 (0.79) | 44.01 (2.95) |
| Nonprofessional organized support | 14.93 (0.53) | 5.77 (1.13) |
| Emergency department | 10.15 (0.47) | 3.82 (1.04) |
| Hospitalized overnight or longer | 11.84 (0.46) | 2.60 (0.88) |
| Age at first MDD treatment, mean (SE), y | 31.98 (0.29) | 40.19 (1.54) |
| Duration from onset to first treatment, mean (SE), mo | 47.54 (1.63) | 01.18 (0.32) |
| Suicidality, % (SE)a | ||
| Thought a lot about one’s own death | 34.78 (0.72) | 28.79 (2.69) |
| Wanted to die | 46.74 (0.91) | 32.05 (2.45) |
| Thought a lot about suicide | 39.31 (0.80) | 22.75 (2.19) |
| Attempted suicide | 13.62 (0.58) | 4.77 (1.09) |
Abbreviations: MDD, major depressive disorder; NA, not applicable.
a
When mood or anhedonia was at its worst.
b
Mixed features do not meet full criteria for either mania or hypomania and could characterize any MDD episode.
c
All or only episodes began just after someone close died and were less than 2 months in duration.