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Association between the prevalence of depression and age in a large representative German sample of people aged 53 to 80 years
Author(s) -
Wild Beate,
Herzog Wolfgang,
Schellberg Dieter,
Lechner Sabine,
Niehoff Doro,
Brenner Hermann,
Rothenbacher Dietrich,
Stegmaier Christa,
Raum Elke
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international journal of geriatric psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.28
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1099-1166
pISSN - 0885-6230
DOI - 10.1002/gps.2728
Subject(s) - depression (economics) , geriatric depression scale , medicine , marital status , logistic regression , odds ratio , demography , cohort , epidemiology , german , cohort study , gerontology , psychiatry , depressive symptoms , population , cognition , history , environmental health , archaeology , sociology , economics , macroeconomics
Objective The aim of the study was to determine the association between the prevalence of clinically significant depression and age in a large representative sample of elderly German people. Methods In the second follow‐up (2005–2007) of the ESTHER cohort study, the 15‐item geriatric depression scale (GDS‐15) as well as a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire were administered to a representative sample of 8270 people of ages 53 to 80 years. The prevalence of clinically significant depression was estimated using a GDS cut‐off score of 5/6. Prevalence rates were estimated for the different age categories. Association between depression and age was analyzed using logistic regression, adjusted for gender, co‐morbid medical disorders, education, marital status, physical activity, smoking, self‐perceived cognitive impairment, and anti‐depressive medication. Results Of the participants, 7878 (95.3%) completed more than twelve GDS items and were included in the study. The prevalence of clinically significant depression was 16.0% (95%CI = [15.2; 16.6]). The function of depression prevalence dependent on age group showed a U‐shaped pattern (53–59: 21.0%, CI = [18.9; 23.3]; 60–64: 17.7%, CI = [15.7; 19.7]; 65–69: 12.6%, CI = [11.2; 14.0]; 70–74: 14.4%, CI = [12.6; 16.0]; 75–80: 17.1%, CI = [14.9; 19.4]). Adjusted odds ratios showed that the chances of being depressive decrease with the age category but remain relatively stable for people aged 65 and over. Conclusions The prevalence of depression in the elderly seems to be associated with the age category. Adjusted odds ratios showed that people aged 60 and older had lower chances of being depressive than people aged 53 to 59 years. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.