Chronic Medical Illness, Depression, and Use of Acute Medical Services Among Medicare Beneficiaries

1,238,895 elderly Medicare recipients (≥65 years of age) living in the United States with Medicare part A and B fee-for-service coverage in 1999, stratified by the presence of at least 1 chronic medical condition (coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, hypertension, prostate cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer, or colon cancer).

Presence of a depressive syndrome

Absence of a depressive syndrome

Odds of emergency department visits, all-cause hospitalization, and hospitalization for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSC)hard clinical