scholarly journals Gender differences in positive screen for depression and diagnosis among older adults in Chile

2022 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ximena Moreno ◽  
Jean Gajardo ◽  
María José Monsalves

Abstract Background Different factors are associated with late life depression and diagnosis, including gender. It has also been reported that depression among older people is underdiagnosed. As a result, the mental health needs of this group are insufficiently met. The aim of this study was to explore gender differences in the factors associated with positive screens for depression and self-reported diagnosis among older adults in Chile. Methods Data from 3786 older adults who participated in the Social Protection Survey in 2016 were analysed. PHQ-9 was used to identify screen-positive cases. Self-reported diagnosis of depression was used to determine the proportion of people with a screen-positive result who had received a diagnosis of depression. Logistic regression models were used to determine sociodemographic and health factors associated with depression and underdiagnosis in older men and women. Results The prevalence of a screen-positive result was 20.91% (5.83% major depressive disorder) among men, and 36.38% (12.43% major depressive disorder) among women. 18.77% of men and 34.11% of women with a positive depression screening had received a diagnosis. More educated men were more likely to receive a diagnosis. Older age was associated with a lower probability of diagnosis among older women. Conclusions Our results suggest that depressive disorders are undiagnosed in a high proportion of older adults in Chile. Gender is a relevant factor in the underdiagnosis of depression in this group. Further research is needed to understand the factors involved in these gaps, to improve detection and provide timely support and treatment.

2014 ◽  
Vol 156 ◽  
pp. 156-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jérôme J.J. Schuch ◽  
Annelieke M. Roest ◽  
Willem A. Nolen ◽  
Brenda W.J.H. Penninx ◽  
Peter de Jonge

Author(s):  
Susana Sousa ◽  
Constança Paúl ◽  
Laetitia Teixeira

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is one of the most common mental disorders in older people. There are several biological, psychological, and social factors associated with this disorder. This study aimed to describe the depressive state to identify the associated factors and potential predictors of MDD in a population of community-dwelling older people with probable MDD. The sample consisted of 378 participants with probable dementia, with 47.3% of them presenting MDD. The factors that were found to be associated with MDD were sex, living status, mobility, and nutritional status. Knowing the factors that can predict a condition such as MDD is extremely important, both for prevention and for the customization of interventions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 73 (12) ◽  
pp. 786-792
Author(s):  
Doonyaporn Wongsawaeng ◽  
Orasa Chawalparit ◽  
Siriwan Piyapittayanan ◽  
Tanyaluck Thientunyakit ◽  
Weerasak Muangpaisan ◽  
...  

Objective: Depression among older adults is frequently an early symptom of cognitive decline, and is believed to be a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Hippocampal subfield volume loss is found in both mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and major depressive disorder (MDD). We aimed to investigate the potential of MR hippocampal subfield volumetry for discriminating among healthy older adults (HOA) and older adults with MCI or MDD. Materials and Methods: Seventy age-matched subjects (29 non-depressed MCI, 12 MDD, and 29 HOA) underwent 3-Tesla MR imaging (MRI) with high-resolution 3D-T1W-TFE whole brain. Hippocampal subfield volumetric measurements were performed using FreeSurfer software to distinguish among MCI, MDD, and HOA. Subgroup analysis with amyloid PET result was also performed.Results: Significantly smaller bilateral hippocampal tail volume was observed in MCI compared to HOA (p=0.004 and p=0.04 on the left and right side, respectively). The same comparative finding was observed at left HATA (hippocampus-amygdala-transition-area) of MCI (p=0.046). Other regions showed non-significantly smaller size in MCI than in HOA [left molecular layer HP (p=0.06), left whole hippocampus (p=0.06), and left CA1 (p=0.07)]. There was a non-significant trend toward smaller size in almost all 13 subfield hippocampal regions of MCI compared to MDD, even in subgroup analysis with amyloid PET result.Conclusion: MR hippocampal subfield volumetry may have value in routine clinical practice for screening individuals with MCI, and may be a valuable adjunct to amyloid PET study for very early-stage diagnosis of AD.


2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S411-S412
Author(s):  
J. Gailledreau ◽  
B. Gailledreau ◽  
P. Desbonnet ◽  
P. Khalifa Soussan ◽  
N. Desbonnet ◽  
...  

RationaleSunshine increases placebo effect in major depressive disorder (MDD) patients (Gailledreau et al., 2015). Kokras et al. (2014) showed that sunshine induces different responses in female than male mice in preclinical models of depression.ObjectiveTo determine whetehr the sunshine induced placebo effect exhibits gender differences in human.Materiel and methodsData from 9 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies of antidepressants conducted by the French GICIPI network were reviewed. MADRS (5) or HAM-D 17 (4) were used as the main efficacy tool. For each patient, variation of scores (Delta MADRS/Delta HAM-D) between two consecutive visits were correlated with the average sunshine index observed at noon between these visits. Sunshine indexes were provided by Météo-France. Correlations were computed with Microsoft Excel.ResultsAnalysis of both genders (n = 52) showed no statistically significant (NS) correlation (r2 = 0.0064) between sunshine and score variations. Analysis of males (n = 8) failed to demonstrate any significant correlation in cloudy (< 1000 Joules/cm2), variable (1000–2000 Joules/cm2) or sunny (> 2000 Joules/cm2) weather. Analysis of females (n = 44) showed NS correlation as well for cloudy or variable weather (r2 = 0.0016), but a strong correlation was observed for females exposed to sunny weather: r2 = 0, 315, n = 20, P < 0.01. This correlation was even stronger in the subpopulation of females aged less than 50 years: r2 = 0.6398, n = 12, P < 0.001.DiscussionThe hypothesis underlying this correlation between sunshine index and variations of MADRS/HAMD scales will be discussed.ConclusionSunshine increases placebo effect in female patients aged less than 50. This insufficiently known effect may be responsible for failure of a number of double-blind, randomized, studies of antidepressant compounds.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.


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