Depression and physical illness

Citation

Phillips AC (2009) Depression and physical illness. Review of: Steptoe, A. (Ed) (2007). Depression and Physical Illness. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 9781139459303. Psychology, Health and Medicine, 14 (1), pp. 125-126. https://doi.org/10.1080/13548500802027335

Abstract
First paragraph: The importance of depression in the context of disease was highlighted by a recent Lancet article indicating that depression produced the greatest decrement in health status in comparison to common chronic diseases such as angina, arthritis, asthma, and diabetes; and individuals with depression co-morbid with these other conditions had the worst health of all (Moussavi et al., 2007). Consequently, Steptoe’s edited book, Depression and Physical Illness, is timely and deals with what is a key public health issue. With contributions from many of the key scholars in the field, this book provides an overview of the aetiology of depression, its relationship with major health conditions, and a critical discussion of the biological and behavioural mechanisms by which depression influences health.

Journal
Psychology, Health and Medicine: Volume 14, Issue 1

People

Professor Anna Whittaker

Professor of Behavioural Medicine, Sport