Roberts R E, Kaplan G A, Shema S J, Strawbridge W J
University of Texas at Houston Health Science Center, School of Public Health, USA.
J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci. 1997 Sep;52(5):S252-8. doi: 10.1093/geronb/52b.5.s252.
Data on symptoms of major depressive episodes were examined for the 1994 cohort (n = 2,417) of the Alameda County Study (mean age = 65). In addition to age, we examined gender, education, marital status, social isolation and social support, perceived physical and mental health, chronic medical conditions, functional impairment, life events, financial strain, and neighborhood quality. The point prevalence of symptoms of major depressive episodes was 6.6 percent for men and 10.1 percent for women, with a trend for prevalence to increase with age. When the effects of the other psychosocial risk factors were controlled, there were no significant age effects. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that apparent initial age effects were due almost entirely to chronic health problems and functional impairment. The implications are clear: Healthy, normal-functioning older adults are at no greater risk of depression than younger adults. Apparent age-related effects on depression are attributable to physical health problems and related disability.
我们对阿拉米达县研究中1994年队列（n = 2417，平均年龄 = 65岁）的重度抑郁发作症状数据进行了研究。除年龄外，我们还考察了性别、教育程度、婚姻状况、社会隔离与社会支持、感知到的身心健康、慢性疾病、功能损害、生活事件、经济压力以及社区质量。重度抑郁发作症状的时点患病率在男性中为6.6%，在女性中为10.1%，且患病率有随年龄增长的趋势。当控制了其他社会心理风险因素的影响后，不存在显著的年龄效应。多变量分析表明，明显的初始年龄效应几乎完全归因于慢性健康问题和功能损害。其意义很明确：健康、功能正常的老年人患抑郁症的风险并不比年轻人更高。与年龄相关的抑郁症明显效应可归因于身体健康问题及相关残疾。
