Depression in physical illness

Symptoms of depression occur commonly in medical illness, yet it is not always clear at which point such symptoms merit clinical attention. There is a common misperception that all depression is an ‘understandable’ psychological reaction to a serious illness. This belief may result in patients being denied appropriate treatment. Depression in the physically ill has been shown to have a significant impact, with increased symptom burden, impaired functioning and reduced quality of life. Treatment may lead not only to an improvement in depressive symptoms but also improvement in somatic symptoms, functional abilities, and a reduction in healthcare costs.