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The prevalence of depression among nursing home residents was estimated by screening a group of residents selected from a random sample on the basis of cognitive status; it ranged from 18-20% for major depression to 27-44% for other dysphoric states. Though individual patients were observed to change over a 6-month period, depression as assessed with the Geriatric Depression Scale was, in general, persistent. Major depression was clinically confirmed in 8 of 10 patients identified at screening. It was characterized by medical disorders that complicated diagnosis and treatment, and by increased mortality relative to the rest of the population.
Katz et al. (Wed,) studied this question.