Delusional depression in the elderly: a community study.

The prevalence of delusional depression, its symptoms and signs, and social and health status of delusional depressives were studied in a Finnish population aged 60 years or over. The prevalence was six per 1,000 men, 12 per 1,000 women, and 10 per 1,000 for both sexes. The overall symptomatology of delusional depressives was more severe than that of nondelusional major depressives or of all nondelusional depressives. The mean age at the onset of depression and the mean duration of depression did not differ between delusional and nondelusional major depressives. Although delusional depressed elderly did not significantly differ statistically from nondelusional major depressives in social status, somatic health status, functional capacity, or occurrence of social or health stress factors; they tended to have a better somatic health status and they tended to be more lonely. The small number of delusional depressives does not give us the opportunity to draw straightforward conclusions about whether elderly delusional depressives are a subcategory differing from other elderly major depressives.