Anxious depression among Puerto Rican and African-American older adults.
OBJECTIVE
To determine racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence and impact of anxious depression (i.e. major depressive disorder, MDD, occurring concomitant with generalized anxiety symptoms) among older adults.


METHODS
Interviews were conducted with 218 Puerto Rican and 206 African American older (age > or =60) urban senior housing residents. Data were collected on diagnostic status, depression severity and psychosocial functioning.


RESULTS
Results indicated a higher prevalence of MDD and anxious depression among Puerto Rican participants. Anxious depression was associated with more severe ratings of distress and suicidality compared with MDD alone, and the impact of depression and anxiety was most pronounced for the Puerto Rican participants. Puerto Rican participants also reported poorer subjective health and more substantial disability; however, these effects were independent of depression or anxiety status.


CONCLUSIONS
Anxious depression is common among older ethnic minority adults and the impact of these symptoms differs by race/ethnicity. These results highlight the importance of conducting culturally sensitive assessments of depression and anxiety among older adults.
Diefenbach
Gretchen J
GJ
Institute of Living, Hartford, CT, USA. gdiefen@harthosp.org
Disch
William B
WB
Robison
Julie T
JT
Baez
Evelyn
E
Coman
Emil
E
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000208:ethnology; D012067:Religion