O Official Diary of the Union publica brings, this Tuesday (4), the Law No. 14,543, dated April 3, 2023, establishing National Depression Awareness Week, to be celebrated annually in the week that includes October 10. The law sanctioned by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is an initiative of deputy Paulo Foletto (PSB-ES), with rapporteurship by Senator Zenaide Maia (PSD-RN). 
The text highlights that the National Depression Awareness Week will aim to promote debates, lectures and events covering all aspects of the disease; encourage the implementation and dissemination of public policies to combat depression; and publicize ways of accessing mental health care and the advances made in diagnosis and treatment.
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Vigitel Research
Related news:
The Vigitel 2021 Survey, by the Ministry of Health, one of the most extensive health surveys in the country, shows that the frequency of medical diagnosis of depression was 11.3%, being higher among women (14.7%) than among men (7.3%). “Among men, the frequency of this condition tended to increase with increasing education. In both sexes, no clear relationship was observed between the indicator and the age group”, says the document.
Latin America
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Brazil is the country in Latin America with the highest prevalence of depression, in addition to being the second in the Americas. Depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide and it is estimated that more than 300 million people of all ages suffer from this disorder, according to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
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