WASHINGTON — The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force on Tuesday recommended screening the general adult population, including pregnant and postpartum women, for depression.

“Depression is a serious condition that is common among patients seen in primary care,” stated Michael Pignone, task force member, professor of medicine at the University of North Carolina Department of Medicine and chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine.

The task force found that patients who were identified through depression screening and went on to be treated — with antidepressant medication, psychotherapy or both — showed improvement in depression symptoms.

The screening should be implemented with adequate systems in place to ensure accurate diagnosis, effective treatment and appropriate follow-up.

Depression is one of the leading causes of disability in adults and affects millions of Americans. It can affect a person’s quality of life and is associated with an increase in suicide rates, among other health problems. Pregnant women and new mothers are also affected by depression, and both mother and child can experience the effects of the illness.

The task force’s recommendation has been published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The task force is an independent, volunteer panel of national experts in prevention and medicine that works to improve the health of all Americans by making evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services such as screenings, counseling services and preventive medications.