WPA Programme on Depression in Persons with Physical Diseases

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Programme Outline

The WPA has started a programme aiming to raise the awareness of the prevalence and prognostic implications of depression in persons with physical diseases. Three books are being produced, dealing respectively with depression and diabetes, depression and cancer, and depression and heart disease. Three corresponding sets of slides will be developed, which will be translated in several languages and posted on the WPA website.
Please find below the outlines of the three books:

Depression and diabetes

Editors: W. Katon, M. Maj, N. Sartorius
Publisher: Wiley/Blackwell

  1. Epidemiology of the comorbidity between depression and diabetes – C.  Lloyd (UK)
  2. Pathogenesis of the comorbidity between depression and diabetes – K. Ismail (UK)
  3. Medical costs of the comorbidity between depression and diabetes – L. Egede (USA)
  4. Clinical trials for depression in people with diabetes – W. Katon (USA)
  5. Management of depression in people with diabetes in ordinary clinical conditions –  R. Hellman (USA)
  6. Depression and diabetes: public health and cultural issues – J. Chan (Hong Kong)

Depression and cancer

Editors: D. Kissane, M. Maj, N. Sartorius
Publisher: Wiley/Blackwell

  1. Epidemiology of depression in cancer and palliative care – M.J. Massie, M. Lloyd Williams,  K. Miller (USA)
  2. Pathogenesis of depression in people with cancer – D.L. Musselman (USA), D. Clarke (Australia)
  3. Screening and recognition of depression in people with cancer – S. Passik (USA)
  4. Impact of depression on treatment adherence and survival from cancer – R. DiMatteo (USA)
  5. Suicide and desire for hastened death in people with cancer – W. Breitbart (USA)
  6. Pharmacotherapy and clinical trials for depression in people with cancer – L. Grassi (Italy)
  7. Psychotherapies and clinical management for depression in cancer and palliative care – D. Kissane, T. Levin (USA), G. Rodin (Canada)
  8. Depression in cancer: culture, social disparities, public health – C. Johansen (Denmark)

Depression and heart disease

Editors: A. Glassman, M. Maj, N. Sartorius
Publisher: Wiley/Blackwell

  1. Epidemiology of the comorbidity between depression and heart disease – W. Jiang (USA)
  2. The association between depression and heart disease: the role of cytokines – R. Dantzer (USA)
  3. The association between depression and heart disease: the role of genetic and epigenetic factors – E. de Geus (Netherlands)
  4. Behavioural and psychological mechanisms linking depression and heart disease – R. Ziegelstein (USA)
  5. Risk factors for heart disease in people with depression – K. Davidson (USA)
  6. Pharmacotherapy of depression in people with heart disease – A. Glassman (USA)
  7. Psychotherapies for depression in people with heart disease – R. Carney (USA)

This programme is part of the WPA Action Plan 2008-2011 and is being supported by several donors, including:

  • the Lugli Foundation,
  • the Italian Society of Biological Psychiatry and
  • Eli Lilly.