Greeks face increased risk of depression, cardiovascular diseases due to crisis

Greeks face an increased risk of depression and cardiovascular diseases due to the debt crisis which has plagued Greece since 2009, local scientists warn citing the results of recent surveys. Woes linked to a dramatic decline in income and living standards, uncertainty and anxiety about the future and reductions in health spending have fuelled depression and cardiovascular illnesses rates in Greece, local media reported on Tuesday. One in three women and two out of 10 men (33 percent or 1.1 million women and 25 percent or 850,000 men) suffer from mild to severe depression, Haralambos Papageorgiou, professor of psychiatry at the Athens University Medical School, said. Over the past three years, the rates of depression episodes have almost doubled, expert Marina Economou added. Other scientists noted that suicides -- often linked to depression -- have increased by about 30 percent. There are, on average, two daily suicide attempts across Greece. Record high unemployment rates, deep recession and pessimism about the future as the government introduces further cuts on salaries, pensions and tax hikes to slash deficits and avoid bankruptcy, have taken a heavy toll on Greeks' mental as well as physical health, scientists underlined. Many endure higher stress and radical changes in the lifestyle due to financial reasons such as buying lower-quality groceries and reducing health expenses. Meanwhile, the rates of cardiovascular diseases have risen by up to 40 percent in recent years, according to a survey released by Greece's National School of Public Health.