National Center for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain.
Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2013 Jul;28(7):745-55. doi: 10.1002/gps.3886. Epub 2012 Sep 11.
To measure the prevalence of depressive symptoms and its association with a comprehensive set of variables and to study the potential modifying effects of sex and age.
In a cross-sectional study, subjects who tested positive to the 12-item World Health Organization disability screening tool were selected from a probabilistic sample of persons aged 65 years or older in a rural area of Spain. Measurements included EURO-D depression scale, socio-demographics, habits, anthropometrics, medical history, cognition, disability, functional dependence, self-rated health and pain. Logistic regression models were used to obtain adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association between depression and variables. The modifying effects of age and sex were assessed.
Prevalence (95% CI) of current depressive symptoms among the 438 participants was 35.8% (31.3-40.3%). Depressive symptomatology was higher among women (aOR = 2.98). An inverse association was observed with alcohol (aORs of 0.52 and 0.27 for consumption of 1-2 and >2 standard units/day, respectively, versus abstainers). Depressive symptomatology was associated with heart failure (aOR = 4.24), urinary incontinence (aOR = 2.68), ischemic heart disease (aOR = 1.87), poor self-rated health and pain. Sex and age modified the effect of several variables.
Prevalence of depressive symptoms, albeit high, was less than expected. The consistently strong negative association between depressive symptoms and alcohol consumption warrants further in-depth research. Awareness of effect modification by key variables, such as sex and age, may enable the probability of suffering depression to be more accurately assessed, with a view to performing a potential diagnostic work-up.
衡量抑郁症状的流行率及其与一系列综合变量的关联，并研究性别和年龄的潜在调节作用。
在一项横断面研究中，从西班牙农村地区一个概率抽样的 65 岁及以上人群中，选择对 12 项世界卫生组织残疾筛查工具呈阳性的受试者。测量包括 EURO-D 抑郁量表、社会人口统计学、习惯、人体测量学、病史、认知、残疾、功能依赖、自我报告的健康状况和疼痛。使用逻辑回归模型获得抑郁与变量之间关联的调整后优势比（aOR）和 95%置信区间（95%CI）。评估了年龄和性别的调节作用。
在 438 名参与者中，当前抑郁症状的患病率（95%CI）为 35.8%（31.3-40.3%）。女性的抑郁症状更为严重（aOR=2.98）。与饮酒呈负相关（每天饮用 1-2 个和>2 个标准单位的饮酒者的 aOR 分别为 0.52 和 0.27，与戒酒者相比）。抑郁症状与心力衰竭（aOR=4.24）、尿失禁（aOR=2.68）、缺血性心脏病（aOR=1.87）、自我报告的健康状况差和疼痛有关。性别和年龄改变了几个变量的作用。
尽管抑郁症状的流行率较高，但仍低于预期。抑郁症状与饮酒之间始终存在强烈的负相关，这需要进一步深入研究。了解性别和年龄等关键变量的效应修饰作用，可以更准确地评估患抑郁的可能性，从而进行潜在的诊断检查。
