Ryan K. McBain, ScD, a health economist in the Center for Integration Science in Global Health Equity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, is the lead author of a paper published in The Lancet, “Effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and positive externalities of integrated chronic care for adults with major depressive disorder in Malawi: a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial.”

In lower-income countries, common mental disorders account for more years lived in disability than HIV and malaria combined, yet most of those affected never receive treatment because of the cost. A new study finds that treating people in low-income countries for major depressive disorder can also help improve their physical health and household members’ wellbeing, demonstrating that mental health treatments can be cost effective.