By MIA MALAN —

Infectious diseases such as HIV and, increasingly, non-communicable illnesses like diabetes are resulting in more cases of chronic depression.

Depression among South Africans with chronic conditions such as HIV infection, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer, are increasing at a “worrisome rate”, experts have warned.

Statistics by IMS Health, a company that produces national market and sales statistics for the pharmaceutical industry, show that the demand for antidepressants in the country has increased by 39% over the past four years.

According to Mariska van Aswegen from Pharma Dynamics, a generics pharmaceutical firm specialising in the treatment of depression and anxiety, the bigger need is likely “to be attributed to the surge in chronic illnesses”.

The health department estimates that 17.9% of South Africans are infected with HIV. But chronic non-communicable illnesses are starting to increase at an even faster rate than infectious diseases.

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