Depression

Within Marion County, Indiana, four healthcare systems are working together to improve health care FOR ALL. Together, they are reviewing if patients are being screened for depression. It's important to understand that depression is not just feeling sad. It's a serious health problem that can change how you feel, how you think and make choices, and how you get along with your family and friends.

Were you checked for depression?

Depression screening may happen during regular doctor visits and after big life changes. Life changing events include becoming a new mom, dealing with long-term health problems, and during annual check-ups for teens and older adults. Early recognition and treatment can lead to better long-term outcomes, making it easier for individuals to manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. The graph shows if a depression screening was done during a visit to one of these four health systems.

Was a depression screening done?

What does this mean?

In the last five years, there have been more people from all racial and ethnic groups getting checked for depression. The number of Black or African American people getting these checks has more than doubled. The number of Hispanic or Latino and Other Race groups also went up by half and almost doubled, respectively. This is good news, but there is more work to be done to make sure everyone who needs to be screened can get one.

What should I do?

Tell your doctor if you've been feeling really sad or different from usual.
Ask your doctor if what you're feeling could be depression.
Share any worries about how you're feeling and ask about ways to get better.

If you or someone you know might be dealing with depression, getting screened is a great first step towards feeling better.

Methods, Assumptions and Notes

Patient Selection:

Age between 18-85 during the measure year.
Had an encounter between Jan. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2022, at one of the following healthcare systems: Community Health Network, Eskenazi Health, Franciscan Health, or IU Health.
Primary address in Marion County, Indiana.
Was not over 65 with indicated advanced illness and frailty.
Has not been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

Race and Ethnicity:
Regardless of the patient's race, if the patient identified as "Hispanic or Latinx", then they are represented within that category.

Data Source Notes:

Data limited to people who accessed one of the four health systems during the measure year.
Some people access the systems only once, some many times, and some access more than one system.
Some health care sites caring for underserved populations and disproportionately accessed by minoritized people, are not represented in these data due to federal regulations limiting use of these data.

This report was prepared by the Indiana Health Information Exchange and in collaboration with Community Health Network, Eskenazi Health, Franciscan Health, and IU Health. Data for this project originates from the Indiana Network for Patient Care data providers. This report is provided “as-is” and the Indiana Health Information Exchange and its partners do not guarantee and expressly disclaim all representations and warranties regarding the accuracy of this report. Any use or reliance on this information is at the user’s sole risk.