Clinical laboratory IT solutions may help combat depression

The solution to both preventing and treating depression could lie in more sophisticated clinical laboratory IT solutions.

Researchers at Curtin University of Technology in Perth, Australia, have been looking into the ways that data mining takes place within clinical laboratory IT solutions.

They claim that depression may be treated more effectively - and potentially may be prevented - through better processing of patient information.

For instance, a combination of an individual's feelings, bodily functions and daily activities can help to indicate their psychological state.

Combined with characteristics like the mental condition of their therapists, this may help to identify people at risk of depression.

In turn, physical outcomes like poor cardiovascular health and diabetes may ultimately be avoided thanks to earlier intervention.

Curtin University is a multi-campus academic institution with facilities located both in Perth and in Sydney, making it one of Western Australia's largest and most multi-cultural educational organisations.