Objective: Planning prevention and treatment programs for depression should be based on the study of the epidemiological profile of depression in the region. The aim of this study was to assess the lifetime prevalence and socio-demographic correlations of Major Depressive Episodes (MDE) among patients consulting in primary care settings. Method: This is an epidemiological study involving patients consulting a general practitioner in Tunisia during a 12 months period. The study was carried using a questionnaire assessing the socio-demographic characteristics of patients and the E section of CIDI 2.1 translated and validated in Tunisian dialect. Results: The number of included patients was 1309. The lifetime prevalence of MDE was 11% and their frequency was significantly correlated with female sex and divorced status. Conclusion: These results can be helpful in developing an epidemiological profile of depression in Tunisian socio-cultural context and highlight the need to provide training on depressive disorders to caregivers in the primary care settings.
