Depression screening and management programmes with staff assistance in primary care increase response and remission rates, but programmes without staff assistance do not show benefits.

The article reports that a review of a number of studies reveal that depression screening and management programmes with staff assistance can decrease the incidence of depression of a patient. The review was initiated due to observed social trends, such as reduction in size of the family unit, prevalent use of alcohol and drugs, and spreading urbanisation, which are said to make depression as the future leading cause of disabilities worldwide.