@article{ref1,
title="Natural course of depressive symptoms in late life. An 8-year population-based prospective study",
journal="Journal of affective disorders",
year="2012",
author="Luppa, Melanie and Luck, Tobias and König, Hans-Helmut and Angermeyer, Matthias C. and Riedel-Heller, Steffi G.",
volume="142",
number="1-3",
pages="166-171",
abstract="AIMS: The aim of the study was to follow the natural course of late-life depressive symptoms within a German population-based study. METHODS: Within the Leipzig Longitudinal Study of the Aged (LEILA 75+), a representative sample of 1265 individuals aged 75 years and older were interviewed every 1.5 years over 8 years. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D, German-specific cut-off score ≥23). RESULTS: The incidence of depressive symptoms was 34 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval 31-37). In a multivariate regression model, female gender, poor self-rated health status, stroke, risky alcohol consumption, a poor social network, higher number of specialist visits, functional impairment, and CES-D score at baseline were significant risk factors of future depressive symptoms. We observed remission in 60%, an intermittent course in 17% and a chronic course in 23% of the participants. No baseline characteristic distinguished the remission group from the persistently depressed. CONCLUSION: Depressive symptoms in late life are common and highly persistent. In the present study encountered risk factors entailed potentialities for secondary prevention.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0165-0327",
doi="10.1016/j.jad.2012.05.009",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2012.05.009"
}