Does a single-item measure of depression predict mortality?
OBJECTIVE
To determine if a single-item measure of depression predicts mortality over 5 years.


METHODS
Secondary analysis of a population-based cohort study.


METHODS
Province of Manitoba.


METHODS
A total of 1751 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older.


METHODS
Self-reported depression; age, sex, education, functional status, and cognition; death over 5 years. Depression was measured with 1 item drawn from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale: "I felt depressed." Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.


RESULTS
Those with self-reported depression had a 5-year mortality of 30.2% versus 19.7% in those without self-reported depression (P < .001, chi2). This association persisted after adjustment for age, sex, education, functional status, and cognition: adjusted odds ratio for mortality 1.35 (95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.76). Among those with cognitive impairment, however, neither the CES-D scale nor the single-item measure predicted mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
A simple measure of depression drawn from the CES-D predicts mortality among cognitively intact community-dwelling older adults, but not among cognitively impaired older adults. Further study is needed in order to determine the usefulness of this question in clinical practice.
St John
Philip Donald
PD
Section of Geriatrics, University of Manitoba, GG 441 Health Sciences Centre, 820 Sherbrook St, Winnipeg, MB R3A 1R9, Canada. pstjohn@hsc.mb.ca
Montgomery
Patrick
P
D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008350:Manitoba / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales