Clinically significant depressive symptoms and associated factors in community elderly subjects from Sao Paulo, Brazil.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the frequency of clinically significant depressive symptoms (CSDS) in a community sample of Brazilian elderly and to assess their relationship with sociodemographic factors, cognitive and functional impairment (CFI), and clinical diseases.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study of a community-based sample of elderly subjects.


METHODS
City of Sao Paulo, State of Sao Paulo, Brazil.


METHODS
A total of 1,563 elderly subjects aged 60 years or older.


METHODS
A 10-item scale for screening of depressive symptoms in elderly people (D-10), the Mini Mental State Examination, the Fuld Object Memory Evaluation, the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly, the Bayer Activities of Daily Living Scale, and a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire.


RESULTS
The frequency of CSDS was 13.0%. Univariate analysis identified independent factors associated with these symptoms in our sample. Logistic regression analysis indicated that being female, brown skinned, previously depressed, having CFI, using psychotropics, and not practicing physical exercise were related to CSDS. On the other hand, being older, clinically sick, employed, or married were not associated with CSDS.


CONCLUSIONS
: Consistent with previous reports, female gender, lack of physical activity, and CFI were significantly associated with higher frequencies of CSDS. Further investigations are necessary to clarify the occurrence of depression and possible modifiable factors in developing countries such as Brazil.
Barcelos-Ferreira
Ricardo
R
Old Age Research Group (Proter), Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, Brazil. barcelosfr@usp.br
Pinto
Jony Arrais
JA
Nakano
Eduardo Yoshio
EY
Steffens
David C
DC
Litvoc
Júlio
J
Bottino
Cássio M C
CM
D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011594:Psychometrics; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data