Key result
Older Veterans with newly diagnosed depression and coexisting dementia were significantly more likely to receive mental health services within 12 months than those with depression alone (48.84% vs 32.00%).
Why the study?
Does coexisting dementia affect mental health service utilization in older Veterans with newly diagnosed depression?
Cohort (n=24,774)
Yes
Does coexisting dementia affect mental health service utilization in older Veterans with newly diagnosed depression?
Absolute Event Rate: 48.84% vs 32%
p-value: p=<0.0001
Older Veterans with newly diagnosed depression significantly underuse mental health services, although those with comorbid dementia are more likely to receive treatment than those with depression alone.
May signal greater clinical needs in comorbid cases; hypothesis-generating for integrated care models and requires prospective validation.
OBJECTIVE: We compared mental health service utilization among older, depressed Veterans (60 years or older) with and without coexisting dementia. METHODS: This retrospective study examined data from the 2010 Veterans Health Administration National Patient Care Database outpatient treatment files of Veterans with a newly recognized diagnosis of depression (N = 177,710). RESULTS: Approximately 48.84% with coexisting depression and dementia and 32.00% with depression only received mental health services within 12 months of diagnosis (p < .0001). Veterans with coexisting depression and dementia were more likely to receive medication-management appointments (33.40% vs 20.62%), individual therapy (13.39% vs 10.91%), and family therapy (3.77% vs 1.19%) than depressed Veterans without dementia. CONCLUSION: In general, Veterans with recently diagnosed depression are significantly underusing Veterans Affairs mental health treatment services. Those Veterans who have comorbid dementia are more likely than those with just depression to be enrolled in mental health treatments. Systemic improvements are needed to increase use of mental health services for older, depressed Veterans.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
DiNapoli et al. (2015) conducted a cohort in Depression with or without coexisting dementia (n=24,774). Coexisting dementia vs. Depression without dementia was evaluated on Receipt of any mental health services within 12 months of diagnosis (p=<0.0001). Older Veterans with newly diagnosed depression and coexisting dementia were significantly more likely to receive mental health services within 12 months than those with depression alone (48.84% vs 32.00%).
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: