Quality of life and physical activity associated to lower prevalence of depression in community-dwelling elderly subjects from Sao Paulo

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders Vol. 150; no. 2; pp. 616 - 622
• Main Authors: Barcelos-Ferreira, Ricardo, Yoshio Nakano, Eduardo, Steffens, David C, Bottino, Cassio M.C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier B.V 05-09-2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Activities of Daily Living; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Affective disorders; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil - epidemiology; Cognition Disorders - diagnosis; Cognition Disorders - epidemiology; Cognition Disorders - psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Depression; Depressive disorder; Depressive Disorder, Major - epidemiology; Depressive Disorder, Major - ethnology; Depressive Disorder, Major - psychology; Depressive symptoms; Developing Countries; Diagnosis; Elderly; Elderly people; Epidemiology; Exercise; Female; Gender; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mood disorders; Physical activity; Prevalence; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Quality of Life; Sociodemographic aspects; Brazil; Depressive symptoms; Prevalence; Cross-sectional studies; Elderly; Epidemiology; Depressive disorder; Human; Mood disorder; Physical exercise; Depression; Quality of life; Symptomatology; Cross sectional study; Community; Public health
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2013.02.024

Abstract Background Studies investigating major depression and associated factors in older people from developing countries are scarce. Methods Cross-sectional study of a community-based sample of 1563 elderly subjects aged 60 years or older from Sao Paulo, Brazil. The frequency of major depression (MD) and the relationship with sociodemographic factors, cognitive and functional impairment (CFI), clinically significant depressive symptoms (CSDS) and clinical diseases were analyzed. A brief instrument for screening of depressive symptoms in elderly people, the Mini Mental State Examination, the Fuld Object Memory Evaluation, the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly, the Bayer Activities of Daily Living Scale, the Cambridge Mental Disorders of the Elderly Examination, and a sociodemographic and clinical questionnaire were applied to the subjects. Results Major depression was diagnosed in 60 patients (3.8%). A higher odds ratio of MD was associated with female gender, being widowed, previous depressive episode, hypertension, use of psychotropic medication, (CFI), and alcohol use. A lower odds ratio of depression diagnosis was associated with physical activity and going to cinema. Limitations The cross-sectional design of the study; our sample was restricted only to community residents, excluding persons in hospitals or nursing homes. Conclusion Our study shows significant association between depression and potentially modifiable factors, reinforcing the benefit of probable preventive measures, to incentive healthy lifestyle, leisure activities and the practice of physical exercise, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of CSDS, especially in primary care.