Socioeconomic differences in incident depression in older adults: the role of psychosocial factors, physical health status, and behavioral factors.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to examine the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and the onset of depression in older adults and to determine the relative contribution of psychosocial factors, physical health status, and behavioral factors in explaining this link.


METHODS
Data were from 2593 men and women, aged 55-85 years, participating in the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam. Two indicators of SES were used: education and income. The onset of depression was measured over 9 years of follow-up.


RESULTS
Adjusted hazard ratios of incident depression were significantly higher in those with low education and low income. Psychosocial factors explained on average 16% of the SES differences in incident depression, physical health status on average 7%, and behavioral factors less than 5%.


CONCLUSIONS
In older adults, low SES predicted the incidence of depression. Part of this association was explained by psychosocial factors and physical health status.
Koster
Annemarie
A
Department of Health Care Studies, Section of Medical Sociology, Universiteit Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands. a.koster@zw.unimaas.nl
Bosma
Hans
H
Kempen
Gertrudis I J M
GI
Penninx
Brenda W J H
BW
Beekman
Aartjan T F
AT
Deeg
Dorly J H
DJ
van Eijk
Jacques Th M
JT
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D003469:Culture; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic