Depression is a common but complex condition. GlobalData epidemiologists estimate there will be 27.8 million 12-month total prevalent cases of major depressive disorder in men and women ages 18 years or older in the US by the end of 2025, and that number is projected to increase to 28.3 million by the end of 2029.
Several contributing factors can be found for increasing the odds of depression. Some are circumstantial, and others are non-modifiable, such as age. The growing ageing population globally has resulted in more age-related health issues and conditions, such as cognitive decline, social isolation, the onset of chronic diseases, diminished quality of life, economic stress post-retirement and transitioning from being in the workforce. Uncertainty around health and finances, among other worries in the elderly population, aggravates the onset of depressive symptoms.
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Community dwellers in the US are a vulnerable group, and a study by Xi and colleagues investigated and quantified the extent of community dwellers ages 65 to 79 years living in the US who had depression. The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, analysed the baseline information of participants who were enrolled between 2015 and 2017 for the Longitudinal Research on Ageing Drivers cohort study.
The point prevalence of clinical depression among the 2,990 community-dwelling participants at the time of baseline assessment was 6.2%. The prevalence varied depending on sociodemographic characteristics and comorbid conditions. Significant differences in the rate of prevalence of depression varied by age, with elevated depression levels in those aged 65 to 69 years (7.9%). Women had higher levels of depression compared to men (7.2% vs. 5.2%), as did those who were not currently married (8.1% vs 5.1%), and those with a high school level of education or less (8.3%).
Annual income was an important factor that influenced the prevalence of depression among individuals. Those with earnings of less than $50,000 had a higher prevalence of depression (10.7%) compared to those in the highest quartile of earnings – $80,000 or more (3.9%). Individuals with a history of depression, or who experienced current comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, anxiety disorder, alcohol use disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, had a significantly higher prevalence of depression.
Volunteering significantly reduced the prevalence of depression (94.1% vs 8%), and this effect was seen in those both with or without a positive history of depression. The positive health outcomes associated with taking part in volunteering stem from gaining a sense of purpose, positive feelings from altruistic acts and finding social interactions, and as a consequence improving overall mental wellbeing and improving life satisfaction, which all lower the odds of depression. Integrating volunteering into treatment and wellness plans for community dwellers could effectively tackle depressive symptoms, and finding ways to eliminate any barriers for volunteering such as mobility issues will make the programme more far-reaching.
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By GlobalDataPrevious history of depression and post-traumatic stress were linked to increased risk
The odds of depression in those belonging to the highest quartile of earnings decreased by 59% compared to those in the lowest quartiles. Volunteering is associated with 43% decreased odds of depression. Both a previous history of depression and diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder were associated with significantly increased odds of depression – 4.35 and 2.7 times more likely, respectively, compared to their counterparts with a negative history of depression or no detected post-traumatic stress disorder.
Findings from the study validate other research that has been conducted on the prevalence of depression in the elderly population. The higher prevalence of depression seen in the 65 to 69-year age group could in part be explained by the significant life changes that typically happen around this age. For instance, retirement, cognitive decline, and loss of social networks are some age-related factors that could contribute to feelings of isolation and depressive symptoms. These research findings underscore the importance of volunteering for health and wellbeing, and also highlight the areas of society that need more attention to prevent increased prevalence of depression, such as those in the lowest income brackets or those with existing comorbidities.
