Just 10 percent of the 30 million Chinese currently suffering from depression are getting proper medical care due to a lack of psychiatrists and social prejudice against mental illness, experts have said.

At a meeting in Shanghai last week, mental health professionals said that China has just 17,000 registered psychiatrists, or one for every 76,000 people.

Most Western countries have a 10-times better ratio.

Hao Wei, vice-director of the Chinese Psychiatrists' Association, said that more than 60 percent of those currently suffering from depression could greatly benefit from proper medication or professional psychiatric help.

"But there are just too few doctors available," Hao said, adding that investment in mental healthcare was also insufficient.

Hao said that about 25 percent of depression cases are first diagnosed by physicians.

"We need to help our physician colleagues recognize the early signs of depression, so that they can refer those patients to psychiatric professionals," Hao said.

However, the greatest problem, Hao said, comes from society, in the shape of the widespread prejudice people have toward those with mental health problems.

Because of public prejudice, many patients are reluctant to visit hospitals specializing in mental care, he said. As a result, 75 percent of all anti-depressants are prescribed by physicians.

Some patients are reluctant to take such pills, as they are concerned about the side effects, Hao said.

The economic cost of depression, in terms of medical bills and lost manpower, is about 60 billion yuan a year, experts said.

A survey conducted recently in Zhejiang and Hebei provinces found that depression was more prevalent in rural communities. Women were also more likely to suffer from it than men, the survey said.

據專家介紹，由于精神治療醫師的缺乏及對于心理疾病社會偏見的存在，在我國目前3000萬的抑郁癥患者中，僅有10%的人正在接受正規治療。

出席上周在上海召開的某會議的心理健康專家們說，中國目前僅有1萬7千名注冊心理醫師，即每76000人僅有1名心理醫生。

這一比例在大多數西方國家要高出10倍。

中國精神醫師協會的副主席郝威說，在目前的抑郁癥患者中，超過60%的人通過適當的藥物治療或專業的心理咨詢服務可以使抑郁癥狀大大減輕。

據他介紹，由于在心理保健方面的投資不夠，“這方面的醫生太少了。”

郝威說，約25%的抑郁癥是由內科醫生診斷出來的。

他說：“我們要幫助內科醫師識別判斷抑郁癥的早期征兆，這樣內科醫師便可以建議這些病人向精神科醫師求助。”

然而，最大的問題來自于社會上對于心理疾病患者的廣泛歧視和偏見。

他說，由于社會歧視的存在，很多病人不愿意去心理疾病專科醫院就診。這造成75%的抗抑郁藥物都是由內科醫師開具的。

有些病人不愿服用這些藥物，因為他們擔心這些藥會產生副作用。

據專家介紹，從醫療費和損失的人力上來看，抑郁癥所造成的年經濟損失達到600億元。

浙江省和河北省近日開展的一項調查發現，抑郁癥在農村地區更為普遍。而且女性比男性更容易患抑郁癥。