title: Social activity and improvement in depressive symptoms in older people: a prospective community cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate: i) the association between level of social activity and late-life depressive symptoms and ii) the association between level of social activity and improvement in depressive symptoms over a 2-year period among people scoring above case level.
  
  
  METHODS
  A secondary analysis of data from a prospective community-based study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Montpellier district, France.
  
  
  METHODS
  Community residents aged 65 and older (N = 1,849), 85.4% of whom were reassessed after a 2-year interval.
  
  
  METHODS
  Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale at baseline and follow-up, and the standard 16 + cutoff was applied to define case-level symptomatology. The primary independent variable assessed at baseline was three levels of social activity defined from a 33-point scale. Other covariates included age, gender, marital status, education, alcohol consumption, chronic illness, cognitive impairment, disability, life events, and antidepressant use at baseline and follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the sample at baseline (N = 1,849), higher social activity was negatively associated with case-level depressive symptomatology after adjustment for potential confounders (odds ratio across three groups 0.7, 95% confidence interval 0.6-0.8). In a prospective analysis of participants above case level at baseline (N = 463), high-social activity at baseline was the only variable associated with improvement in depressive symptoms and remained significant after adjustment for all other factors (odds ratio=1.6; 95% confidence interval = 1.2-2.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a large community sample, higher social activity was associated with a lower risk of late-life depressive symptoms at baseline and, in those with case-level baseline symptoms, was the principal factor predicting improvement over 2-year follow-up.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, Section of Epidemiology, London, UK.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Isaac
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Sylvaine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Artero
authors.forename: Marie-Laure
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Ancelin
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ritchie
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000523:psychology*; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities / Q000523:psychology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012934:Social Isolation; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents