Depression, disability and somatic diseases among elderly

Abstract

Objective: Depression among older adults is associated with both disability and somatic disease. We aimed to further understand this complicated relationship and to study the possible modifying effect of increasing age.

Design: Cross sectional survey.

Setting: Outpatient and inpatient clinics of regional facilities for mental health care and primary care.

Participants: Elderly people, 60 years and older, 378 persons meeting DSM-IV criteria for a depressive disorder and 132 non-depressed comparisons.

Measurements: Depression diagnoses were assessed with the CIDI version 2.1. Disability was assessed with the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS). Social-demographic information and somatic diseases were assessed by self-report measurements.

Results: Disability, in general and on all its subscales, was strongly related to depression. Presence of somatic disease did not contribute independently to variance in depression. The relationship was stronger for people of 60-69 years old than for those older than 70 years. Important aspects of disability that contributed to depression were disability in participation, self-care and social activities.

Limitations: Results are based on cross sectional data. No inferences about causal relationships can be drawn.

Conclusion: Disability, especially disability regarding participation, self-care, or social activities is strongly related to late-life depression. Somatic diseases in itself are less of a risk for depression, except that somatic diseases are related to disability.

Keywords: Aged; Chronic disease; Depression; Disability.