The spectrum of quality-of-life impairments in recurrent geriatric depression.
BACKGROUND
Although recurrent major depression in elderly individuals is a disabling condition, only a few studies have systematically examined the magnitude and specificity of quality-of-life (QOL) impairments in such patients in comparison with matched controls or the elderly population.


METHODS
We examined the variations in QOL scores of 100 elderly (age range 60-88 years) patients with moderate to severe recurrent major depression and compared them with published elderly population norms. Disease-specific Quality of Life in Depression Scale (QLDS) and generic Medical Outcomes Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) QOL ratings obtained at baseline were analyzed.


RESULTS
Compared with published elderly population norms, depressed subjects showed significant QOL impairments in five of eight baseline SF-36 items (p <.01). Women rated their QOL as worse than men on physical functioning and role physical (p <.01) and showed similar trends on all other QOL items. Compared with younger subjects, subjects aged older than 70 years reported lower QOL on the summary physical component (p <.01) and a trend for higher QOL on the summary mental component (p <.05) of the SF-36. Depression symptom ratings were correlated with some QOL measures, but accounted for less than 10% of the variance.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite limitations, such as a cross-sectional design and indirect comparisons with norms generated from another study, our findings confirm the disabling nature of recurrent late-life depression and the importance of targeting both depressive symptoms and broader QOL outcomes in intervention trials.
Doraiswamy
P Murali
PM
Department of Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. dorai001@mc.duke.edu
Khan
Zeba M
ZM
Donahue
Rafe M J
RM
Richard
Nathalie E
NE
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011788:Quality of Life; D012008:Recurrence