Depressive symptoms in Hispanic and non-Hispanic White rural elderly: the San Luis Valley Health and Aging Study.
Literature on depression in rural and Hispanic elderly adults is sparse. This report describes the prevalence of depressive symptoms in 1,151 community-dwelling, Hispanic and non-Hispanic White participants in the San Luis Valley Health and Aging Study, conducted in rural Colorado during 1993-1995. The prevalence and odds ratios of high depressive symptoms, defined as a Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale score of > or = 16, were calculated. The crude prevalence of high depressive symptoms was 11.4% (95% confidence interval: 9.6, 13.6). Female gender, chronic diseases, dissatisfaction with social support, living alone, and lower income and education were associated with depressive symptoms. There were no ethnic differences in the men. The age-adjusted odds ratio of depressive symptoms in Hispanic women compared with that of non-Hispanic White women was 2.11 (95% confidence interval: 1.32, 3.38). After adjustment for multiple sociodemographic and health risk factors, the odds ratio in Hispanic women was 2.12 (95% confidence interval: 1.19, 3.80). Higher depressive symptoms in Hispanic women varied by acculturation level. The odds ratio in the high acculturation stratum was 1.56 (95% confidence interval: 0.75, 3.27) and in the low acculturation stratum was 2.51 (95% confidence interval: 1.11, 5.70). A lower acculturation level may increase the risk for depression in older Hispanic women.
Swenson
C J
CJ
Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, USA. carolyn.swenson@uchsc.edu
Baxter
J
J
Shetterly
S M
SM
Scarbro
S L
SL
Hamman
R F
RF
D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over / Q000523:psychology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003120:Colorado / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged / Q000523:psychology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data