Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Multicenter Study
. 2006 Apr 25:4:27.
doi: 10.1186/1477-7525-4-27.

Synchrony of change in depressive symptoms, health status, and quality of life in persons with clinical depression

Paula H Diehr  1 , Ann M Derleth, Stephen P McKenna, Mona L Martin, Donald M Bushnell, Gregory Simon, Donald L Patrick
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Synchrony of change in depressive symptoms, health status, and quality of life in persons with clinical depression

Paula H Diehr et al. Health Qual Life Outcomes. .

Abstract

Background: Little is known about longitudinal associations among measures of depression, mental and physical health, and quality of life (QOL). We followed 982 clinically depressed persons to determine which measures changed and whether the change was synchronous with change in depressive symptoms.

Methods: Data were from the Longitudinal Investigation of Depression Outcomes (LIDO). Depressive symptoms, physical and mental health, and quality of life were measured at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 9 months. Change in the measures was examined over time and for persons with different levels of change in depressive symptoms.

Results: On average, all of the measures improved significantly over time, and most were synchronous with change in depressive symptoms. Measures of mental health changed the most, and physical health the least. The measures of change in QOL were intermediate. The 6-week change in QOL could be explained completely by change in depressive symptoms. The instruments varied in sensitivity to changes in depressive symptoms.

Conclusion: In clinically depressed persons, measures of physical health, mental health, and quality of life showed consistent longitudinal associations with measures of depressive symptoms.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Wells KB, Stewart A, Hays RD, Burnam MA, Rogers W, Daniels M, Berry S, Greenfield S, Ware J. The functioning and well-being of depressed patients. Results from the Medical Outcomes Study. JAMA. 1989;262:914–919. doi: 10.1001/jama.262.7.914. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Hays RD, Wells KB, Sherbourne CD, Rogers W, Spritzer K. Functioning and well-being outcomes of patients with depression compared with chronic general medical illnesses. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995;52:11–19. - PubMed
    1. Wells KB, Sherbourne CD. Functioning and utility for current health of patients with depression or chronic medical conditions in managed, primary care practices. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1999;56:897–904. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.56.10.897. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Penninx BW, Leveille S, Ferrucci L, van Eijk JT, Guralnik JM. Exploring the effect of depression on physical disability: longitudinal evidence from the established populations for epidemiologic studies of the elderly. Am J Public Health. 1999;89:1346–1352. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Wulsin LR, Vaillant GE, Wells VE. A systematic review of the mortality of depression. Psychosom Med. 1999;61:6–17. - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources