title: Association of depression with sexual and daily activities: a community study of octogenarian men.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between clinically significant depressive symptoms, routine function, and sexual interest and practice in a community-derived sample of octogenarian men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study of 1,649 community-dwelling men aged 80 years or over with no history of terminal illnesses or neurodegenerative diseases. Men with Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) scores greater than or equal to 10 were deemed to be clinically depressed. Scores between 5 and 9 were considered indicative of subthreshold depression. We used standard procedures to collect self-reported sociodemographic, lifestyle, and clinical data, as well as basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and a structured questionnaire to ask men about their 12-month interest in sex, frequency, past experiences, and current sexual problems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  121 men (7.3%) had clinically significant depression and 239 (14.5%) had subthreshold depression. Depressive symptoms were associated with difficulties in basic and instrumental activities of daily living, but not with sexual practice. Decreased interest in sex and anxiety before sex were associated with subthreshold depression. Clinically significant depressive symptoms were independently and positively associated with past history of diabetes (odds ratio [OR]: 2.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-4.0), depression (OR: 9.0; 95% CI: 4.6-17.3), impaired ability to groom (OR: 3.7, 95% CI: 1.2-11.0), carry out heavy housework duties (OR: 2.4, 95% CI: 1.1-5.1), manage finances (OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.1-5.7), or engage in leisure activities (OR: 4.1, 95% CI: 2.0-8.2).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ability to function effectively at home, financial autonomy, and leisure are associated with clinically significant depression in octogenarian men. Maintaining daily function and autonomy may be a suitable target for interventions that aim to reduce the prevalence and incidence of depression in older age.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry & Clinical Neurosciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Western Australian Centre for Health & Ageing, Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia. Electronic address: osvaldo.almeida@uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Osvaldo P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Fremantle Hospital, Fremantle, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Bu B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Yeap
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Neurology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Graeme J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hankey
authors.affiliation: Queensland Research Centre for Peripheral Vascular Disease, School of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Golledge
authors.affiliation: Western Australian Centre for Health & Ageing, Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; School of Medicine and Pharmacology, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Geriatric Medicine, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Flicker
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Depression; aging; disability; men; octogenarian; sexual function