The prevalence of depression among Australian nursing home residents: results using draft ICD-10 and DSM-III-R criteria

Abstract

SYNOPSISThe aims of this study were, first, to estimate the prevalence of depressive disorders in Australian nursing home residents using international diagnostic criteria, and second, to explore environmental determinants of such disorders. Residents of 24 nursing homes were surveyed using the Canberra Interview for the Elderly (CIE) and a range of environmental measures was also taken. Of 323 residents who were screened for cognitive impairment, 165 (51%) scored 18 or above on the Mini-Mental State Examination (Folstein et al. 1975), and were interviewed with the CIE. According to DSM-III-R criteria and the CIE, the prevalence of major depressive episode was 9·7%. Using ICD-10 criteria, 6·1% of residents suffered from a severe depressive episode, 6·7% from a moderate depressive episode and 6·7% from a mild depressive episode. Some measures of the social environment were significantly related to depressive symptoms.

Effect of Micronutrient Supplementation on Mood in Nursing Home Residents

“…21.7% had significantly high levels of negative affect as indicated by MADRS scores of 6 18. This prevalence level of depression is similar to that seen in other populations of older people in institutions [1][2][3][4] . Prevalence of anxiety symptoms is, however, also high and this has not been previously noted.…”

“…Older people have a high prevalence of depression, with up to one third or more of those living in residential or nursing home, having significant symptoms [1][2][3][4] . The prevalence of depression in nursing or residential homes is at least twice that seen in the general population [5,6] .…”

The prevalence of depressive symptoms among elderly Chinese private nursing home residents in Hong Kong

“…The reported prevalence rates of depression in institutions varies widely in different localities, which may reflect the variations in diagnostic criteria and scales utilised, sampling differences, and also demographic differences in the characteristics of the nursing home population studied (Kivela et al, 1986;Parmelee et al, 1989;Horiguchi et al, 1991;Phillips et al, 1991;Ames 1993;Snowdon et al, 1996;Brodaty et al, 2001;Teresi et al, 2001). Since our study only employed a screening tool for depression evaluation, further studies using formal clinical diagnostic criteria like DSM-IV are recommended in order to get a better picture of prevalence of various depressive disorders, including major depression, in private nursing home settings.…”

Factors associated with antidepressant treatment in residential care: changes between 1990 and 1997

“…For these residents, identi®cation of depression will be dependent on the skills and training of the home staff responsible for their care. Identi®cation of depression by directors of nursing homes has been found to agree well with (although may overestimate) ICD-10 diagnosis (Phillips and Henderson, 1991). It is among those residents with minor depression that nurses may have particularly valuable information to contribute about their emotional health (Burrows et al, 1995).…”