Depressive symptoms and antidepressant use in a random community sample of ethnically diverse, urban elder persons.
BACKGROUND
There are limited data on depressive symptoms and antidepressant use in ethnically diverse, urban elderly.


METHODS
Analysis of depressive symptom and antidepressant use data from an epidemiological survey of dementia in an ethnically diverse, urban, elderly community.


RESULTS
21.5% (N=566) reported clinically significant depressive symptoms. Severity was inversely associated with socioeconomic status. 7.5% (N=194) reported antidepressant medication use. Multiple logistic regression analysis adjusting for severity and other covariates showed that men and African Americans had nearly half the odds of using antidepressants. Antidepressant use was more frequent among Hispanics, those with more severe depression and more medical illness.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined sample; CES-D not validated in Hispanics and inner-city African Americans; depressive symptoms assessed at one time-point; lack of complete income data; geographically restricted.


CONCLUSIONS
In this elder sample, taking into account depressive symptom severity and other confounds, antidepressant use is nearly half as likely among men and African Americans.
Grunebaum
Michael F
MF
Department of Psychiatry, the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, United States.
Oquendo
Maria A
MA
Manly
Jennifer J
JJ
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002391:Catchment Area, Health; D003156:Community Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D000928:Antidepressive Agents