Does growing old increase the risk for depression?

Abstract

The answer to this question remains unclear. Community-based epidemiologic studies have reported rates of clinical depression in samples of older adults in the range of 1%-16%. As in the case for most disorders, prevalence rates for depression vary considerably depending on the sample studied and methods used. For example, Girling et al. (1) noted that studies using DSM-III-R diagnostic criteria generally yielded lower prevalence rates for major depressive disorder in the elderly. Studies that focused on symptoms of depression reported much higher prevalence rates than did studies using diagnostic procedures. Studies using the National Institute of Mental Health Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) and DSM criteria have tended to generate prevalence rates for major depressive disorder on the order of 1%-3% (2-4), whereas studies using instruments designed specifically for use with the elderly have reported prevalence rates of 11%-16% for elderly subjects who have substantial depressive symptoms but who do not meet diagnostic criteria for major depression (5-7).There actually have been few studies of depression among the very elderly, even though this segment of the population is one of the fastest growing. The few studies that have been done report disparate prevalence rates for major depression, ranging from less than 3% to more than 12% (1,8).Snowdon (9) commented on this divergence of findings from epidemiologic investigations in 1990; he noted that the results of prevalence surveys of depression among the elderly can be grouped into low prevalence studies and high prevalence studies on the basis of measurement strategy. Studies that used the DIS and/or DSM criteria yielded much lower rates of depression than did those using other procedures. Snowdon argued that dementia, disability, physical illness, bereavement, loss of independence and security, and suicide all are much more common in old age; therefore, prevalence of depression should increase as well. However, others

More than eight in every nineteen inmates were living with depression at prisons of Northwest Amhara Regional State, Ethiopia, a cross sectional study design

“…The possible explanation for this could be age distributions of the prisoners as the distribution of old ages were higher in the Gondar and Dabre Tabor prisons. Even though age is not associated to depression in our study; studies supported that depression were more likely to occur among old ages [28, 36, 40, 49–55]. The other possible reason could be as Bahir Dar’s prison is regional level; there may be facility difference, which might improve the satisfaction level of the prisoners.…”

“…The possible reasons stated were lack of (poor) social support which may lead to increased psychological distress; on the other hand, good social support is vital for the prevention of anxiety, both of which have relation with depression [45]. Other studies added that loneliness has adverse consequences for mental health including depression [40, 46–49]. …”

Poststroke Depression in Acute Phase after Stroke

“…House et al [47]and Kauhanen et al [21]found, like us, a significant positive correlation between age and depression, although they had somewhat older patients than ours. It has been suggested [48]that healthy, normally functioning adults are at no greater risk for depression than younger adults, but age-related effects on depression can be attributable to problems with physical health.…”

Interoceptive dysfunction: Toward an integrated framework for understanding somatic and affective disturbance in depression.

“…With respect to the effects of aging on depression risk, several studies have found that, after controlling for other factors, depression risk is either stable or else gradually declines after mid-adulthood (e.g., Jorm, 2000; Roberts, Kaplan, Shema, & Strawbridge, 1997; Scott et al, 2008). Multiple risk factors for depression (e.g., disability, inflammation, low social support) nevertheless tend to increase with age (see Lewinsohn, Rohde, Seeley, & Fischer, 1991; Vink, Aartsen, & Schoevers, 2008), which may result in a higher depressive symptomatology rather than prevalence of clinical depression after the age of 75 (e.g., van't Veer-Tazelaar et al, 2008).…”