Geriatrics Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Geriatrics, including details on old age, psychiatry, depression, medicine.

Depression and mortality in elders referred for geriatric psychiatry consultation.

Royall DR, Schillerstrom JE, Piper PK, Chiodo LK

Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. royall@uthscsa.edu

OBJECTIVE: The association between depressive symptoms and mortality was assessed in a 7-year longitudinal follow-up of subjects referred for geropsychiatric consultation. METHODS: The medical records of 89 referrals were reviewed. Survival analysis was performed on subjects stratified by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and residential status. RESULTS: Fifty percent of subjects with GDS > 6 (n = 28) died by 19 months versus 54 months for subjects with GDS < 7 (n = 61) (chi2 = 13.2, df = 1, P < .001). GDS, medical burden, age, and gender were independently associated with survival. CONCLUSIONS: GDS scores greater than 6 are associated with increased risk of mortality in elders referred for geropsychiatric consultation.

Published 15 June 2007 in J Am Med Dir Assoc, 8(5): 318-21.
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