Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-21T14:30:59.708Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Depression in the first year of stay for elderly long-term nursing home residents in the U.S.A.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 May 2010

D. R. Hoover*
Affiliation:
Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, U.S.A. Department of Statistics and Biostatistics; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, U.S.A.
M. Siegel
Affiliation:
Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, U.S.A.
J. Lucas
Affiliation:
Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, U.S.A.
E. Kalay
Affiliation:
Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, U.S.A.
D. Gaboda
Affiliation:
Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, U.S.A.
D. P. Devanand
Affiliation:
Division of Geriatric Psychiatry College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University New York, NY, U.S.A.
S. Crystal
Affiliation:
Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, U.S.A.
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Professor Donald R. Hoover, Department of Statistics and Biostatistics, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 30 College Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, U.S.A. Phone: +1 732-932-6939, Fax: +1 732-932-6872. Email: [email protected].
Get access

Abstract

Background: Understanding the prevalence, incidence and cofactors of depression among long-term elderly nursing home (LTNH) residents domiciled for eight months or more may help optimize depression treatment in this vulnerable group. We quantified first year depression in American LTNH residents and the associations between depression and resident/facility characteristics.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Minimum Data Set and Online Survey Certification and Reporting for 634,060 LTNH residents admitted from 1999 to 2005 in 4,216 facilities. Depression first diagnosed at admission and at subsequent quarterly intervals through the first year of stay was examined. Logistic regressions modeled correlates of newly identified depression in each time-period.

Results: Recorded depression at admission and during the first year increased from 1999 to 2005. By 2005, 54.4% of LTNH residents had depression diagnosed over the first year; 32.8% at admission and a further 21.6% later during the first year. Antidepressant use was reported prior to depression diagnosis for 48% of those first identified depressed after admission. Men, non-Hispanic blacks, never married, and severely-cognitively impaired LTNH residents were less often identified with depression, particularly at admission. Pain and physical comorbidity were positively associated with depression identified throughout the first year. Prior institutionalization was associated with depression at admission, but not new depression after admission. Facility characteristics had weaker associations with depression.

Conclusions: High depression rates at admission and during the first year indicate a need to monitor and treat large numbers of American LTNH residents for depression. Reduced associations between demographics and depression as stays progress suggest other factors have increased roles in depression etiology.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Achterberg, W., Pot, A. M., Kerkstra, A. and Ribbe, M. (2006). Depressive symptoms in newly admitted nursing home residents International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 21, 11561162.Google Scholar
AGS/AAGP (2003). American Geriatrics Society and American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry Consensus statement on improving the quality of mental health care in U.S. nursing homes: management of depression and behavioral symptoms associated with dementia. Journal of the American Geriatric Society, 51, 12871298.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blazer, D. G. (2003). Depression in late life: review and commentary. Journal of Gerontology A Biological Science Medical Science, 58, 249265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, L. K. and Luisi, A. F. (2002). The management of depression in older nursing home residents. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 50, 6976.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boyle, V. L., Roychoudhury, C., Beniak, R., Cohn, L., Bayer, A. and Katz, I. (2004). Recognition and management of depression in skilled nursing and long-term care settings: evolving targets for quality improvement. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 12, 288295.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
CMS (2004). RAI Version 2.0 Manual. Available at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NursingHomeQualityInits/20_NHQIMDS20.asp#TopOfPage. Last accessed 19 March 2008.Google Scholar
Cowles, C. (2002). Nursing Home Statistical Yearbook. Montgomery Village, MD: Cowles Research Group.Google Scholar
Crystal, S., Sambamoorthi, U., Walkup, J. T. and Akincigil, A. (2003). Diagnosis and treatment of depression in the elderly medicare population: predictors, disparities, and trends. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 51, 17181728.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Datto, C. J., Oslin, D. W., Streim, J. E., Scheinthal, S. M., DiFilippo, S. and Katz, I. R. (2002). Pharmacologic treatment of depression in nursing home residents: a mental health services perspective. Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neurology, 15, 141146.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Davison, T. E., McCabe, M. P., Mellor, D., Ski, C., George, K. and Moore, K. A. (2007). The prevalence and recognition of major depression among low-level aged care residents with and without cognitive impairment. Aging and Mental Health, 11, 8288.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dobalian, A., Tsao, J. C. and Radcliff, T. A. (2003). Diagnosed mental and physical health conditions in the United States nursing home population: differences between urban and rural facilities. Journal of Rural Health, 19, 477483.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fullerton, C. A., McGuire, T. G., Feng, Z., Mor, V. and Grabowski, D. C. (2009). Trends in mental health admissions to nursing homes, 1999–2005. Psychiatric Services, 60, 965971.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harrington, C., Carrillo, H. and LaCava, C. (2006). Nursing Facilities, Staffing, Residents, and Facility Deficiencies, 1999 through 2005. San Francisco, CA: University of California.Google Scholar
Hartmaier, S. L., Sloane, P. D., Guess, H. A. and Koch, G. G. (1994). The MDS Cognition Scale: a valid instrument for identifying and staging nursing home residents with dementia using the minimum data set. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 42, 11731179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Houser, A. (2007). Nursing Homes. AARP Public Policy Institute Analysis of the 2004 National Nursing Home Survey (NNHS) and U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates, AARP. Available at http://www.aarp.org/ppi. Last accessed 20 February 2009.Google Scholar
Lebowitz, B. D. et al. (1997). Diagnosis and treatment of depression in late life: consensus statement update. JAMA, 278, 11861190.Google Scholar
Levin, C. A., Wei, W., Akincigil, A., Lucas, J. A., Bilder, S. and Crystal, S. (2007). Prevalence and treatment of diagnosed depression among elderly nursing home residents in Ohio. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 8, 585594.Google Scholar
Levy, C., Epstein, A., Landry, L., Kramer, A., Harvell, J. and Liggins, C. (2006). Physician Practices in Nursing Homes: Final Report. Washington, DC: University of Colorado for DHHS ASPE/DALTCP.Google Scholar
Lin, P. C., Wang, H. H. and Huang, H. T. (2007). Depressive symptoms among older residents at nursing homes in Taiwan. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 16, 17191725.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mcdougall, F. A., Matthews, F. E., Kvaal, K., Dewey, M. E. and Brayne, C. (2006). Prevalence and symptomatology of depression in older people living in institutions in England and Wales. Age and Ageing, 36, 562568.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McSweeney, K. and O'Connor, D. W. (2008). Depression among newly admitted Australian nursing home residents. International Psychogeriatrics, 20, 724737.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Miller, S. C. and Mor, V. (2006). Out of the Shadows: Envisioning a Brighter Future for Long-term Care in America. A Report for the National Commission for Quality Long-Term Care. Providence, RI: Brown University.Google Scholar
Morgan, A. J. and Jorm, A. F. (2008). Self-help interventions for depressive disorders and depressive symptoms: a systematic review. Annals of General Psychiatry, 19, 713.Google Scholar
OBRA (1987). Public Law No. 100–203, Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987, 22 December 1987. Annual Review of Population Law, 14, 473475.Google Scholar
O'Connor, D. W., Ames, D., Gardner, B. and King, M. (2009). Psychosocial treatments of psychological symptoms in dementia: a systematic review of reports meeting quality standards. International Psychogeriatrics, 21, 241251.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Onder, G., Liperoti, R., Soldato, M., Cipriani, M. C., Bernabei, R. and Landi, F. (2007). Depression and risk of nursing home admission among older adults in home care in Europe: results from the Aged in Home Care (AdHOC) study. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 68, 13921398.Google Scholar
Payne, J. L. et al. (2002). Incidence, prevalence, and outcomes of depression in residents of a long-term care facility with dementia. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 17, 247253.Google Scholar
Rodstein, M., Savitsky, E. and Starkman, R. (1976). Initial adjustment to a long-term care institution: medical and behavioral aspects. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 24, 6571.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Snowden, L. R. (2003). Bias in mental health assessment and intervention: theory and evidence. American Journal of Public Health, 93, 239243.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Webber, A. P., Martin, J. L., Harker, J. O., Josephson, K. R., Rubenstein, L. Z. and Alessi, C. A. (2005). Depression in older patients admitted for postacute nursing home rehabilitation. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 53, 10171022.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed