Depression: Recognizing and Addressing Mental Health Challenges

Dear Colleagues,

Mental disorders are one of the leading causes of global health-related burden, with depressive disorders being leading contributors to this burden. Depression is a mental disorder characterized by lasting feelings of sadness, hopelessness, negativity, lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities, and a persistently low mood. Along with being linked to cognitive dysfunctions such as dementia and increased suicide rates, this condition can result in great suffering, disability, and major limitations in the person's daily functioning. Despite major advances in the methods and findings of mental health research described in recent decades, depression remains a common, costly, life-quality-impairing condition that is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Thus, immediate attention on a global scale is needed.

In this context, we are pleased to invite you to submit papers on mental health challenges related to depression awareness, assessment, treatment, and relapse throughout the life course.

This Special Issue aims to publish original studies and reviews, including both clinical trials and observational studies, that assess and explore challenges related with depression and mental health. We are particularly interested in papers that maintain a high academic standard while also focusing on optimal solutions for clinical practice.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Lara Guedes de Pinho
Prof. Dr. Manuel José Lopes
Dr. Elisabete Alves
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.