Association of depression and gender with mortality in old age
- 1 October 2000
- journal article
- Published by Royal College of Psychiatrists in The British Journal of Psychiatry
- Vol. 177 (4), 336-342
- https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.177.4.336
Abstract
Background: The association between depression and increased mortality risk in older persons may depend on the severity of the depressive disorder and gender.Aims: To investigate the association between major and mild depressive syndromes and excess mortality in community-living elderly men and women.Method: Depression (Geriatric Mental State AGECAT) was assessed in 4051 older persons, with a 6-year follow-up of community death registers. The mortality risk of neurotic and psychotic depression was calculated after adjustment for demographic variables, physical illness, cognitive decline and functional disabilities.Results: A total of 75% of men and 41% of women with psychotic depression had died at follow-up. Psychotic depression was associated with significant excess mortality in both men and women. Neurotic depression was associated with a 1.67-fold higher mortality risk in men only.Conclusions: In the elderly, major depressive syndromes increase the risk of death in both men and women, but mild depression increases the risk of death only in men.Keywords
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