Premium
Outcome of depression in demented and non‐demented elderly: Observations from a three‐year follow‐up in a community‐based study
Author(s) -
Forsell Y.,
Jorm A. F.,
Winblad B.
Publication year - 1994
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.930090103
Subject(s) - depression (economics) , dementia , psychiatry , psychology , major depressive disorder , late life depression , population , longitudinal study , medicine , gerontology , clinical psychology , cognition , disease , pathology , environmental health , economics , macroeconomics
In the Kungsholmen project, a longitudinal study of a total population, samples of non‐demented and demented elderly persons with a depressive disorder were followed over 3 years. Of 668 persons who received a full medical examination, 62 were found to have a depressive disorder. Of these, 28 were demented and 34 non‐demented. Two‐thirds of the 62 had not been previously recognized as having a depressive disorder. There was no difference in this regard between the demented and non‐demented samples. After 3 years, only two out of 20 non‐demented cases had recovered from their depressive disorder. This is in contrast to the demented cases, where only one of 11 were still depressed. These results indicate the need for greater attention to the recognition and management of depressive disorders in the elderly.