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Risk factors of major depression in the elderly

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

Reinhard Heun  and
Sandra Hein
Reinhard Heun*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Venusberg, 53105Bonn, Germany
Sandra Hein
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Venusberg, 53105Bonn, Germany
*
*Corresponding author. Tel.: +44 1325 743 779; fax: +44 1325 383 548. E-mail address: [email protected] (R. Heun).
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Abstract

Background

Several risk factors of depression have been identified in retrospective as well as some prospective studies in the elderly. Confirmation in independent samples is needed. The present follow-up study prospectively investigated risk factors of depression in an elderly German sample.

Methods

One thousand four hundred and thirty-one subjects from a family study were re-investigated after 4.7 ± 2.5 years. Bivariate and multivariate forward logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors of the development of new depression in the elderly.

Results

Risk factors of a new depressive episode in 1408 elderly without current depression were age, female gender, a previous depression, subjective memory impairment, previous anxiety and somatoform disorders. The presence of dementia or mild cognitive impairment were significant risk factors in bivariate, but not multivariate analysis controlling for possible confounding. Risk factors of a first geriatric depressive episode were age, gender and subjective memory impairment; age remained the only significant risk factor in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions

This investigation confirms previous studies from other countries concerning the relevance of risk factors for depression in the elderly. The knowledge of risk factors might help identify subjects at increased risk of depression for early intervention approaches. Elderly with a history of previous depression carry the highest risk.

Keywords

Major depressionRisk factorsElderlyMemory impairmentDementia
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , May 2005 , pp. 199 - 204
Copyright
Copyright © Elsevier SAS 2005

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