title: Depressive symptomatology in severe dementia in a European sample: prevalence, associated factors and prescription rate of antidepressants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Depression is a common comorbid disorder of dementia. This study explores the prevalence of and factors associated with depressive symptomatology, and antidepressant prescription rates in severe dementia across eight European countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 414 people with severe dementia completed measures of cognition and quality of life (QoL), whilst carers completed proxy measures of activities of daily living (ADLs), depression, neuropsychiatric symptoms, QoL and comorbidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings indicated that 30% of the sample had depression, whilst the highest and lowest prevalence of depression was reported in Germany and Finland, respectively. Lower QoL, the presence of pain and more frequent neuropsychiatric symptoms were associated with depressive symptomatology, whilst no significant relationship between impairment of ADLs, comorbidity, and depression emerged. Spain and Estonia had the highest and lowest rates of antidepressant prescribing, respectively, whilst Germany had the highest discrepancy between depressive symptomatology and prescription.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study highlights variations across countries in the prevalence of depressive symptomatology in severe dementia and prescription of antidepressants. Information about factors associated with depressive symptomatology may help to better identify and manage depression.
authors.affiliation: Personal Social Services Research Unit,University of Manchester,Devonshire House,Oxford Road,M13 9PL Manchester,UK.
authors.forename: Clarissa M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Giebel
authors.affiliation: Personal Social Services Research Unit,University of Manchester,Devonshire House,Oxford Road,M13 9PL Manchester,UK.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sutcliffe
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing Science,Faculty of Health,University of Witten/Herdecke,Germany.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Renom-Guiteras
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing Science,University of Turku,Turku,Finland.
authors.forename: Seija
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arve
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences,Lund University,Lund,Sweden.
authors.forename: Ingalill Rahm
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Hallberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine,Gerontopole,INSERM 1027,University Hospital de Toulouse,Toulouse,France.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.affiliation: Hospital Clinic of Barcelona,Nursing,Barcelona,Spain.
authors.forename: Adelaida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zabalegui
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Research,Maastricht University,Maastricht,the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hamers
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine,University of Tartu,Tartu,Estonia.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saks
authors.affiliation: Personal Social Services Research Unit,University of Manchester,Devonshire House,Oxford Road,M13 9PL Manchester,UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Challis
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000208:Acute Disease; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003704:Dementia / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents
keywords: quality of life