Prevalence and risk factors of depressive symptoms in latest life—results of the Leipzig Longitudinal Study of the Aged (LEILA 75+)
Claudia Sikorski,
Melanie Luppa, Tobias Luck, Steffi G. Riedel-Heller,
Institut für Sozialmedizin, Arbeitsmedizin und Public Health (ISAP),
Arbeitsgruppe Public Health: Epidemiologie und Versorgungsforschung
Universität Leipzig
Arno Villringer,
Max-Planck-Institut
für Kognitions- und Neurowissenschaften und Tagesklinik für kognitive
Neurologie; Leipzig
Hans-Helmut König,
Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf,
Zentrum für Psychosoziale Medizin, Institut für Medizinische Soziologie,
Sozialmedizin und Gesundheitsökonomie; Hamburg
Siegfried Weyerer,
Zentralinstitut
für Seelische Gesundheit, Mannheim
Birgit Wiese,
Medizinische Hochschule
Hannover, Institut für Biometrie, Hannover
1 . Zielsetzung/Fragestellung
Because the oldest old will be the fastest-growing age group in the future
and information
about epidemiology of depressive symptoms in latest life is scarce, the present
study aims at determining the age-specific and gender-specific prevalence rates
and risk factors of depressive symptoms in latest life.
2. Materialien/Methoden
As part of the Leipzig Longitudinal Study of the Aged (LEILA 75+), a population-based
sample of 1 006 individuals aged 75 years and older were interviewed on socio-demographic,
clinical and psychometric variables. Depressive symptoms were assessed using
the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (cut-off score =16);
mild cognitive impairment (MCI) was diagnosed according to criteria of the
International Working Group on MCI. Factors associated with depressive symptoms
were determined with multiple logistic regression models.
3. Ergebnisse
Of the overall sample, 38.2% (95% confidence interval, CI 35.2–41.2)
were classified as depressed. In the full multivariate model, the following
variables were significantly associated with depressive symptoms: divorced
or widowed marital status, low educational level, poor self-rated health status,
functional impairment, multi-domain MCI, stressful life events and poor social
network. All variables but MCI remained significant correlates of depressive
symptoms in the parsimonious model.
4. Zusammenfassung/Schlussfolgerung
Because depressive symptoms are common in oldest age and associated with broad
categories of risk factors, latest-life depression represents an important
public health issue. Employment of comprehensive geriatric assessment to ascertain
depressive symptoms and its concomitants could help to improve treatment success.