title: Association between skin conditions and depressive disorders in community-dwelling older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression is frequently observed in dermatologic patients. However, the association between depressive disorders and skin conditions has rarely been explored through population-based studies, especially within older-adult populations.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test this association in a representative sample of an older-adult population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data came from the Survey on the Health of the Elderly (Enquête sur la Santé des Aìnés [ESA]), a longitudinal survey conducted in Quebec among 2,811 older adults. Cross-lagged panel models were used to simultaneously examine cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between the presence of skin conditions and depressive disorders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of skin conditions was 13%, and the prevalence of depressive disorders among participants presenting with skin conditions was 11%. Our results indicated significant cross-sectional correlation (ζ  =  0.20) between skin conditions and depressive disorders, but no longitudinal association was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results reinforce the hypothesis that skin conditions and depressive disorders are concurrently associated in older adults. However, no evidence of the predictive effect of skin problems on depression (and vice versa) was found in our community sample. Despite the deleterious effect of the coexistence of these problems in older adults, studies are lacking. This article highlights the importance of this issue and emphasizes the need for further research on this topic.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gontijo Guerra
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Préville
authors.forename: Helen-Maria
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Vasiliadis
authors.forename: Djamal
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berbiche
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011792:Quebec; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D057566:Self Report; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors