The community prevalence of depression in older Australians.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the prevalence of depression among older adults in Australia.


METHODS
All general practitioners in Australia's five most populous states who satisfied certain eligibility criteria (e.g., sufficient weekly working hours, sufficient numbers of elderly patients) were invited to participate. Those who consented were asked to identify all of their patients aged 60+ and invite them (either directly or via the study team) to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire identified those who had experienced 'clinically significant depression' and those who had experienced a 'major depressive episode' in the past two weeks, via the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Consenting patients completed the questionnaire and returned it to the study team in a reply-paid envelope.


RESULTS
In total, 22,251 patients returned questionnaires. Overall, the age-adjusted rate of clinically significant depression was 8.2% (95%CI=7.8%-8.6%), with the age-adjusted rates for males being 8.6% (95%CI=7.9%-9.2%) and for females being 7.9% (95%CI=7.4%-8.4%). The overall, male and female age-adjusted rates for a major depressive episode were 1.8% (95%CI=1.6%-2.0%), 1.9% (95%CI=1.6%-2.2%) and 1.7% (95%CI=1.5%-2.0%), respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that depression among older people is a major public health problem. The above estimates provide guidance for efficient planning of services, and establish a baseline against which preventive and treatment interventions can be assessed. Armed with this information, we can progress efforts at reducing this major health problem and its consequences.
Pirkis
Jane
J
Centre for Health Policy, Programs and Economics, School of Population Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. j.pirkis@unimelb.edu.au
Pfaff
Jon
J
Williamson
Michelle
M
Tyson
Orla
O
Stocks
Nigel
N
Goldney
Robert
R
Draper
Brian
B
Snowdon
John
J
Lautenschlager
Nicola
N
Almeida
Osvaldo P
OP
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives