title: Olfactory impairment in older adults is associated with depressive symptoms and poorer quality of life scores.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We assessed the association between impaired olfaction and depressive symptoms and poor quality of life.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1,375 participants aged 60 years or older had their olfaction measured using the San Diego Odor Identification Test. Quality of life was assessed using the 36-Item Short-Form Survey (SF-36). Depressive symptoms were assessed by either the SF-36, which included the Mental Health Index, and/or the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among participants with olfactory impairment, 15.4% and 20.2% had depressive symptoms assessed by the Mental Health Index and CES-D-10, respectively. Among participants aged 70 years or older, olfactory impairment was associated with depressive symptoms (assessed by the CES-D-10), multivariate-adjusted odds ratio, OR: 1.66 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.03-2.66). Subjects with olfactory impairment compared to those without, had lower SF-36 scores in six out of the eight indices.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Olfactory impairment was independently associated with depressive symptoms and poorer quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Vision Research, Department of Ophthalmology and Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney, Australia. bamini_gopinath@wmi.usyd.edu.au
authors.forename: Bamini
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gopinath
authors.forename: Kaarin J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Anstey
authors.forename: Carolyn M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Sue
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kifley
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000857:Olfaction Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*