OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of depression among five large European nations. METHODS: TNS Healthcare's European Healthcare Panel of individuals in France, Germany, Italy, UK and the Netherlands were surveyed in 2007 to assess disease burden at national level. The self-reported epidemiological data is representative of population gender and age (18-24,25-34,35-44,45-54,55-64,65-69yrs) strata in respective countries, ensured by sampling and intensive panel management. The survey collected information on select health conditions (incl. depression; in the past 12-months), quality of life and health care-utilization. RESULTS: In the TNS European Healthcare Panel, 8,665, 25,265, 19,887, 59,850 and 47,340 individuals completed survey in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, France and UK respectively. Prevalence of Depression varied widely between these 5 nations, as follows: Netherlands: 9.4%, Germany: 14.6%, U.K: 14.8%, France: 17.8%, Germany: 18.8%. Within each country, burden of Depression varied by age and gender; distribution among male (18-24,25-34,35-44,45-54,55-64,65+yrs: % pts) was: the Netherlands: 5.1%,6.0%,7.0%,7.6%,7.3%,5.1%; Germany: 10.9%,9.9%,11.2%,13.7%,10.6%,3.7%; Italy: 9.9%,7.4%,9.5%,10.9%,11.3%,9.4%; France: 13.7%,12.8%,14.4%,14.6%,10.9%,6.2%; U.K: 11.8%,12.2%,15.8%,18.7%,14.0%,7.0%; distribution among female (18-24,25-34,35-44,45-54,55-64,65+yrs: % pts) was: the Netherlands: 5.7%,14.4%,13.4%,13.3%,10.9%,13.8%; Germany: 18.9%,17.9%,19.8%,24.2%,16.0%,8.2%; Italy: 17.7%,17.7%,21.1%,24.7%,21.3%,12.2%; France: 25.4%,23.4%,23.0%,23.7%,19.5%,15.5%; UK: 24.9%,24.8%,26.6%,26.2%,19.1%,12.8%. General Practitioners were the primary point of diagnosis and source of treatment, even though this statistic varied between the countries. CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of depression appears to be substantial in the studied European nations and peaked in the 35-55 age-group. Females had substantially higher disease burden, amounting to as much as twice as their male counterparts in certain age groups.