Irritability and social isolation in dementia patients with and without depression.
This study examined the prevalence of irritability and social isolation in veterans with dementia, with and without depression. Participants were diagnosed with dementia and enrolled in a dementia care-coordination and support-service intervention. Participants were interviewed and underwent assessment with the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale, a Patient Strain Measure and the Short Blessed Test. In all, of 294 participants completing interviews, 77 (26.2%) were depressed and 107 (36.4%) endorsed irritability; mean social isolation score was 1.59 ± 1.96. Irritability was significantly more likely to be present in depressed versus nondepressed participants (P < .0001), but this relationship was moderated by dementia severity. The mean social isolation score was also significantly more elevated in depressed rather than nondepressed patients (2.82 ± 1.96 vs 1.15 ± 1.76, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Depressed persons with dementia are significantly more likely to experience irritability and social isolation than those who are not depressed.
VA HSR&D Houston Center of Excellence, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Denis
D
Shub
David M
DM
Bass
Robert O
RO
Morgan
Katherine S
KS
Judge
A Lynn
AL
Snow
Nancy L
NL
Wilson
Annette
A
Walder
Brian
B
Murry
Mark E
ME
Kunik
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003863:Depression / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology