Symptomatology of Depression in Different Age Groups

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The "typical" depression presentation in primary care is dominated by physical (somatic) complaints as opposed to psychological complaints. More than 50% of patients with depression report somatic complaints only and at least 60% of these somatic complaints are pain related. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: 1. To study the symptomatology of depression in different age groups. 2. To compare the symptomatology of depression found in each age groups. MATERALS & METHODS: Patients who have attended out-patient psychiatric department of tertiary general hospital in urban area and diagnosed as having depression were divided in four age groups (<21years, 21-40years, 41-60years, >60years) and were evaluated for depressive symptomatology. The SYMPTOMATOLOGY part was assessed by using two scales, (1) Inventory of depressive symptomatology scale (IDS-30) and (2) Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS-17). RESULTS: There is high frequency of somatic symptoms (both general and gastrointestinal) spontaneously as well as on systemic evaluation across all age groups amongst which most disturbing was headache followed by fatigue in all age groups. In all age groups who have reported primary depressive features like sadness and loss of pleasure, most of them had history of previous affective episodes so that they might have some insight into their depression. CONCLUSION: Our patients cannot voice their complaints spontaneously as there is a more of somatic symptoms presentation and striking rarity of spontaneously expressed depressed mood but it is invariably present on systemic interview across all age groups.