Key result
High depressive symptoms (CES-D 25-58) compared to lowest scores (0-1) were associated with a 6-year mortality risk of 47% vs 14.5% (adjusted RR 1.77; 95% CI 0.91-3.42) among elderly women.
Why the study?
Do depressive symptoms increase 6-year mortality in elderly community-dwelling women?
Cohort (n=764)
No
Do depressive symptoms increase 6-year mortality in elderly community-dwelling women?
Effect estimate: RR 1.77 (95% CI 0.91-3.42)
Absolute Event Rate: 47% vs 14.5%
Depressive symptoms are only weakly associated with mortality in elderly women, and this association is heavily influenced by baseline physical health, length of follow-up, and how depression is measured.
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Weak non-significant association after adjustment cautions against using depressive symptoms for mortality risk stratification in elderly women; leaves open confounding by physical health.
Fredman et al. (1999) conducted a cohort in Depressive symptoms (n=764). High depressive symptoms (CES-D score 25-58) vs. Low depressive symptoms (CES-D score 0-1) was evaluated on 6-year mortality (RR 1.77, 95% CI 0.91-3.42). High depressive symptoms (CES-D 25-58) compared to lowest scores (0-1) were associated with a 6-year mortality risk of 47% vs 14.5% (adjusted RR 1.77; 95% CI 0.91-3.42) among elderly women.
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