Context: Self-rated health is a powerful predictor of the change of functional disability, and even mortality of older adults. Significant symptoms of depression are common in the older community-dwelling population. Although depressive symptoms and disability may commonly occur in the same person, whether depressive symptoms contribute to subsequent change of self-rated health has not been elucidated. Objective: to test whether depressive symptoms still significantly affect the change of self-rated health after controlling the demographic factors, physical disease, functional disability in community-dwelling older adults. Design: A two-year prospective cohort study. Participants: A total of 6863 older persons who completed AHEAD1(1993)and AHEAD2 (1995)studies. Main Outcome Measures: Baseline depressive symptoms were measured by short-form of CES-D. Self-rated health measured by a single item for global rating of health. Results: After adjustment for baseline demographic factors, and physical disease, increasing levels of depressive symptoms were predictive of greater decline in self-rated health over 2 years for those with functional disability at T1 and T2 (odds ratio for decline in those with depressive mood vs those without, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.24-2.24). Even among those without functional disability at T1 and T2, the severity of depressive symptoms predicted less likely to improve in self-rated health (odds ratio for improve in those with depressive mood vs. those without, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.43-0.69). Conclusion: These results suggest that prevention or reduction of depressed mood could play an important role in reducing self-rated health decline and increasing in self-rated health improvement in older persons.
Learning Objectives: Will understand more about the complex relationships among demographic factors, physical diseases,functional disability, depression, and self-rated health in community-dwelling older adluts
Keywords: Depression, Health
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.