Item Geriatric Depression Scale (item + geriatric_depression_scale)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Distribution within Medical Sciences


Selected Abstracts


Comprehensive geriatric assessment for community-dwelling elderly in Asia compared with those in Japan: VI.

GERIATRICS & GERONTOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 4 2005
Maubin in Myanmar
Background: The objective of the present study is to compare the findings of comprehensive geriatric assessments of community-dwelling elderly in Maubin township, Myanmar with those in Japan. Methods: A cross-sectional, study was undertaken of community-dwelling people aged 60 years and over who were living in downtown Maubin and two rural villages near Maubin city, and 411 people aged 65 years and over who were living in Sonobe, Kyoto, Japan. They were examined using a common comprehensive geriatric assessment tool, which included interviews regarding activities of daily living (ADL), medical and social history, quality of life (QOL) and the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale. Anthropometric, neurobehavioral and blood chemical examinations were also conducted. Using anova and Post Hoc Scheffe's F -test, findings from the three groups were compared. Results: Scores of basic ADL, instrumental self-maintenance, intellectual activities, social roles, QOL, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence, body mass index, total cholesterol levels, blood hemoglobin levels and HDL levels were lower in Myanmar's elderly subjects than in Japanese ones. There was no significant difference in prevalence of depression. Mean blood pressure measurements and rates of subjects with systolic pressure > 140 mmHg or diastolic pressure > 90 mmHg and prevalence of stroke were higher in downtown Maubin than in Japan. The atherogenic index was higher in Myanmar's elderly than in Japanese. Conclusion: In Myanmar subjects had lower ADL and QOL scores than Japanese elderly. Of particular note is the higher prevalence of anemia and subjects with history of stroke in Myanmar than in Japan. Further study is needed to detect the cause of high prevalence of stroke in Myanmar. [source]


Depression status as a reliable predictor of functional decline among Japanese community-dwelling older adults: a 12-year population-based prospective cohort study

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 11 2009
Hajime Iwasa
Abstract Objective This study aimed to examine a longitudinal relationship between depression status and functional decline among Japanese community-dwelling older adults, using a 12-year population-based, prospective cohort study design. Method A total of 710 men and women, aged 65 years and over, participated in the study. Katz's Index and the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence were used to measure the functional capacities of basic activities of daily living (BADL) and higher-level competence, respectively. For the purpose of analysis, a decline in each subscale of functional capacity during the follow-up period were used as outcome variables; depression status assessed by the Japanese version of the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), with a cut-off of 11, was used as an independent variable; and age, gender, education level, history of chronic disease, hospitalization, smoking, physical activity, living alone, hearing problems, physical pain, dietary habits, and usual walking speed at baseline were used as covariates. Results Use of the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for potential confounders showed that depression status was significantly and independently associated with BADL decline (risk ratio (RR),=,1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13,1.89) and with higher-level competence decline (RR,=,1.56, 95% CI: 1.18,2.04). Conclusion Our study found an independent relationship between depression status and longitudinal change in functional capacity among community-dwelling older individuals, suggesting that depression status is a reliable predictor of functional decline (both of BADL decline and higher-level competence decline) in older adults. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Is the geriatric depression scale a reliable screening tool for depressive symptoms in elderly patients with cognitive impairment?

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 6 2009
Hans Debruyne
Abstract Objective To determine the reliability of the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-30) for the screening of depressive symptoms in dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) using the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) as the ,gold standard'. Methods Diagnosed according to strictly applied clinical diagnostic criteria, patients with MCI (n,=,156) and probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) (n,=,247) were included. GDS-30, CSDD, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Global Deterioration Scale were assessed in all patients at inclusion. The AD group was divided in three subgroups: mild AD (MMSE,18) (n,=,117), moderate AD (MMSE<,18 and ,10) (n,=,89) and severe AD (MMSE<10) (n,=,38). Results In MCI patients, moderate but highly significant correlations were found between GDS-30 and CSDD scores (Pearson: r,=,0.565; p,<,0.001). In mildly (r,=,0.294; p,=,0.001), moderately (r,=,0.273; p,=,0.010) and severely (r,=,0.348; p,=,0.032) affected AD patients, only weak correlations between GDS-30 and CSDD scores were calculated. ROC curve analysis showed that sensitivity and specificity values of respectively 95% and 67% were achieved when a GDS-30 cut-off score of 8 was applied in MCI patients. In AD patients, too low sensitivity and specificity values did not allow selecting an optimal cut-off score by means of ROC curve analysis. Conclusion Using the CSDD as ,gold standard', we demonstrated that the GDS-30 is a reliable screening tool for depressive symptoms in MCI but not in AD patients. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Differences in depression symptoms in patients with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases: evidence from the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15)

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 10 2007
Daniel Weintraub
Abstract Objective Depression occurs frequently in patients with both Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD), but there has been little comparison of depression symptoms in the two populations. Method The 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) was administered as a depression screening instrument to 232,AD patients and 266,PD specialty care patients with at most mild dementia. Logistic regression models were used to determine disease-specific associations with individual GDS-15 items, and factor analysis was used to assess GDS-15 factor structure in the two populations. Results Controlling for total GDS-15 score and other covariates, AD patients reported more dissatisfaction with life (p,=,0.03) and memory problems (p,<,0.001), while PD patients reported more fearfulness (p,=,0.01), helplessness (p,<,0.01), a preference to stay at home (p,=,0.02), and diminished energy (p,<,0.01). Three factors were generated in PD (explaining 55% of the total variance) and five in AD (explaining 59% of the total variance), and the two main factors generated in both populations related primarily to unhappiness and negative thoughts. Conclusions The factor structure of the GDS-15 is similar in AD and PD patients with at most mild stage dementia, but between-group differences on 6 of the GDS-15 items suggests the non-specificity of certain items in the two populations. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


The Overlap Syndrome of Depression and Delirium in Older Hospitalized Patients

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 8 2009
Jane L. Givens MD
OBJECTIVES: To measure the prevalence, predictors, and posthospitalization outcomes associated with the overlap syndrome of coexisting depression and incident delirium in older hospitalized patients. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of prospective cohort data from the control group of the Delirium Prevention Trial. SETTING: General medical service of an academic medical center. Follow-up interviews at 1 month and 1 year post-hospital discharge. PARTICIPANTS: Four hundred fifty-nine patients aged 70 and older who were not delirious at hospital admission. MEASUREMENTS: Depressive symptoms assessed at hospital admission using the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (cutoff score of 6 used to define depression), daily assessments of incident delirium from admission to discharge using the Confusion Assessment Method, activities of daily living at admission and 1 month postdischarge, and new nursing home placement and mortality determined at 1 year. RESULTS: Of 459 participants, 23 (5.0%) had the overlap syndrome, 39 (8.5%) delirium alone, 121 (26.3%) depression alone, and 276 (60.1%) neither condition. In adjusted analysis, patients with the overlap syndrome had higher odds of new nursing home placement or death at 1 year (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=5.38, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.57,18.38) and 1-month functional decline (AOR=3.30, 95% CI=1.14,9.56) than patients with neither condition. CONCLUSION: The overlap syndrome of depression and delirium is associated with significant risk of functional decline, institutionalization, and death. Efforts to identify, prevent, and treat this condition may reduce the risk of adverse outcomes in older hospitalized patients. [source]


Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Self-Management and Reduction of Depressive Symptoms in a Randomized, Controlled Study

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 10 2006
Barbara L. Brody MPH
OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of a self-management program for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in reducing depressive symptoms. DESIGN: Analysis of 6-month follow-up for a subset of participants in a randomized, controlled trial who were clinically depressed at baseline. SETTING: University ophthalmology clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-two depressed older adult volunteers (mean age 81.5) with advanced AMD who had been randomized to a self-management program (n=12) or one of two control conditions (n=20). Subjects were included if at baseline they met criteria from the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Axis, I, Fourth Edition, Research Version, for major or minor depressive disorder with significant depressive symptoms (,5 points) on the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). INTERVENTION: AMD self-management program consisting of cognitive and behavioral elements including health education and enhancement of problem-solving skills. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome measure was GDS-15. Secondary outcome measures included National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ) and AMD Self-Efficacy Questionnaire. RESULTS: At 6-month follow-up, the self-management group had a significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms on the GDS-15 than the controls (P=.03). The mean reduction of 2.92 points in the self-management group was more than the 2-point change threshold considered to be clinically meaningful. Change on the NEI-VFQ was nonsignificant. Reduction in depressive symptoms was associated with greater self-efficacy in the self-management group. CONCLUSION: These findings may support the effectiveness of an AMD self-management program for depressed older adults with advanced vision loss from AMD. [source]


Sex Steroid Level, Androgen Receptor Polymorphism, and Depressive Symptoms in Healthy Elderly Men

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 4 2005
Guy G. T'Sjoen MD
Objectives: To determine the prevalence of depression in a cohort of elderly men as assessed using a 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) score and to describe the association between this score and sex steroids, androgen receptor (AR) polymorphism, and general health status. Design: Observational study on the relationship between sex steroid status and health-related parameters. Setting: Community-based. Participants: Ambulatory men (n=236 in 1997, n=192 in 2000) aged 70 and older at inclusion in 1996, interviewed in 1997 and 2000. Measurements: Serum levels of testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEAS), cortisol, and the AR gene cytosine, adenine, guanine (CAG)-repeat length polymorphism were determined. Free testosterone and free estradiol were calculated. Questionnaires included GDS, 36-item Short Form, and Rapid Disability Rating Scale,2. Results: Median age was 75.3 years (interquartile range=73.5,78.5). A GDS score of 11 or greater was found in 30 (12.7%) men. Age and GDS score were significantly interrelated (P<.01), as were all health-assessment scores. GDS scores were not related to (free) testosterone or AR polymorphism in 1997 or 2000. In 1997 only (n=236), higher GDS scores were related to higher estradiol, free estradiol, and DHEAS levels. Conclusion: The data did not support a role for testosterone in depression in elderly community-based men as assessed using the GDS. [source]


Depressive symptoms and olfactory function in older adults

PSYCHIATRY AND CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCES, Issue 4 2008
Anna Scinska
Aims:, Neuroimaging studies suggest a significant overlap between brain regions involved in the regulation of olfaction and mood. The aim of the present study was to search for correlations between depressive symptomatology measured by the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and olfactory function assessed with Sniffin' Sticks in non-demented older adults (aged 53,79 years). Methods:, Taste detection thresholds were also measured by means of electrogustometry on the anterior tongue. Results:, No correlation was found between the GDS scores (range: 0,12) and olfactory thresholds or olfactory identification scores. Similarly, there was no relationship between depressive symptoms and electrogustometric thresholds. Subjects (n = 25) scoring ,5 on the GDS were classified as ,depressed' and all other individuals (n = 60) were classified as ,non-depressed'. The two groups did not differ in terms of the olfactory measures and electrogustometric threshold. Conclusion:, Depressive symptoms are not associated with any major olfactory deficit in non-clinical older adults. [source]