Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-related situations and events that impact a community (McKenzie, Pinger and Kotecki , 2008). Depression is a common condition that affects a community. Depression is a mental health problem that affects people of all ages. According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (2011), depression is described by a state of sadness and hopelessness. Some symptoms of depression include lack of interest in daily activities, fatigue, inability to complete daily tasks, loss of appetite, and suicidal thoughts (CDC, 2011). There are two main forms of depression. The two types are dysthymia and major depression (CDC, 2011). Dysthymia is a type of depressive disorder that usually lasts up to two years. This type of depression is a “low-grade mood disorder” that does not cause serious, lasting impairment in an individual's mood (CDC, 2011, paragraph 5). The population most affected by dysthymia is children and adolescents. Many people with dysthymia may develop a more severe form of depression, called major depression (CDC, 2011). Symptoms related to major depression include agitation, difficulty concentrating on daily activities, feelings of helplessness, low energy, suicidal attempts and thoughts. The most serious consequence of major depression is suicide (CDC, 2011; NIMH, 2011). As the CDC has stated, “depression poses a significant burden worldwide” (CDC, 2011, para. 2). Friends and family of someone suffering from depression are also affected. The relationships between an individual and the networks they support diminish as the individual suffering from depression withdraws from society and becomes isolated (CDC, 2011, para. 2...... middle of article ......ental Health (2011). Retrieved March 23, 2014 from http://www.nimh.nih.gov.citytech.ezproxy.cuny.edu:2048/health/publications/depression/index. .shtmlNational Institute of Mental Health in Children and Adolescents [Fact Sheet]. adolescents/index.shtmlRiolo, SA, Nguyen, TA, Greden, JF , & King, CA (2005). Prevalence of depression by race/ethnicity: results from the American National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III. Journal of Public Health, 95(6), 998-1000. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (2011). from http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/index.shtml.