Dataset Information

The Epidemiology of Depressive Symptoms in the Last Year of Life.

ABSTRACT:

Background/objective

Depression impacts quality of life at all life stages, but the epidemiology of depression in the last year of life is unknown. This study's objectives were to document the epidemiology of depressive symptoms in the year prior to death and to assess how the trajectory of depressive symptoms varies by sociodemographic and clinical factors.

Design

Observational, cross-sectional, cohort study using the Health and Retirement Study.

Setting

Population-based survey.

Participants

A total of 3274 individuals who died within 12?months after assessment.

Measures

Primary outcome: eight-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-8). Covariates included sociodemographics, self-reported illnesses, and activity of daily living (ADL) limitations.

Results

Average CESD-8 score increased over the last year of life, with 59.3% screening positive for depression in the last month before death. Depression symptoms increased gradually from 12 to 4?months before death (increase of 0.05 points/month; 95% confidence interval [CI] =?0.01-0.08 points/month) and then escalated from 4 to 1?months before death (increase of 0.29 points/month; 95% CI = 0.16-0.39 points/month). Women, younger adults, and nonwhite adults all demonstrated higher rates of depressive symptoms. Individuals with cancer reported escalating rates of depressive symptoms at the end of life, while individuals with lung disease and ADL impairment demonstrated persistently high rates throughout the year before death.

Conclusions

This study revealed high rates of depressive symptoms in the last year of life as well as differences in the burden of depressive symptoms. A public health approach must be taken to screen for and appropriately treat symptoms of depression across the lifespan. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:321-328, 2020.

SUBMITTER: Kozlov E

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7899291 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

The Epidemiology of Depressive Symptoms in the Last Year of Life.

Kozlov Elissa E Dong XinQi X Kelley Amy S AS Ankuda Claire K CK

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 20191105 2

<h4>Background/objective</h4>Depression impacts quality of life at all life stages, but the epidemiology of depression in the last year of life is unknown. This study's objectives were to document the epidemiology of depressive symptoms in the year prior to death and to assess how the trajectory of depressive symptoms varies by sociodemographic and clinical factors.<h4>Design</h4>Observational, cross-sectional, cohort study using the Health and Retirement Study.<h4>Setting</h4>Population-based s ...[more]

PMID: 31691265

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Project description:ImportanceThe neurobiologic basis of late-life depressive symptoms is not well understood.ObjectiveTo test the hypothesis that neurodegeneration and neuronal density in brainstem aminergic nuclei are related to late-life depressive symptoms. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, AND EXPOSURE: Longitudinal clinicopathological cohort study at residences of participants in the Chicago, Illinois, metropolitan area. Participants included 124 older persons without dementia in the Rush Memory and Aging Project who had annual evaluations for a mean (SD) of 5.7 (2.8) years, died, and underwent a postmortem neuropathological examination that provided estimates of the densities of Lewy bodies, neurofibrillary tangles, and aminergic neurons in the locus ceruleus, dorsal raphe nucleus, substantia nigra, and ventral tegmental area.Main outcomes and measuresThe number of depressive symptoms (mean [SD], 1.61 [1.48]; range, 0-6; skewness, 0.94) on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale averaged across annual evaluations.ResultsBrainstem Lewy bodies were associated with depressive symptoms, and the association was attenuated in those taking antidepressant medication. Brainstem tangles were associated with more depressive symptoms in those without cognitive impairment but with fewer symptoms in those with mild cognitive impairment. Lower density of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive neurons in the ventral tegmental area was robustly associated with a higher level of depressive symptoms (mean [SE] estimate, -0.014 [0.003]; P < .001; 16.3% increase in adjusted R2). The association was not modified by medication use or cognitive impairment. Neither tyrosine hydroxlyase-immunoreactive neurons in the locus ceruleus nor tryptophan hydroxlyase-immunoreactive neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus were related to depressive symptoms.Conclusions and relevanceThe results suggest that the mesolimbic dopamine system, especially the ventral tegmental area, has an important role in late-life depressive symptoms.

Project description:INTRODUCTION:The last year of life constitutes a particularly vulnerable phase for patients, involving nearly all health and social care structures. Yet, little scientific evidence is available that provides insight into the trajectories including the number and types of care setting transitions, transitions into palliative care and the dying phase. Only few studies have focused on difficulties associated with having to move between health and social care settings in the last year of life, although patients face a significant risk of adverse events. The Last Year of Life Study Cologne (LYOL-C) aims to fill this gap. METHODS AND ANALYSIS:LYOL-C is a mixed-methods study composed of four steps: (1) Claims data collected by the statutory health insurance funds of deceased persons will be analysed with regard to patient care trajectories, health service transitions and costs in the last year of life. (2) Patient trajectories and transitions in healthcare will additionally be reconstructed by analysing the retrospective accounts of bereaved relatives (n=400) using a culturally adapted version of the Views of Informal Carers-Evaluation of Services Short Form questionnaire and the Patient Assessment of Care for Chronic Conditions Short Form questionnaire adapted for relatives. (3) Qualitative interviews with bereaved relatives (n=40-60) will provide in-depth insight into reasons for transitions and effects on patients' quality of life. (4) Focus groups (n=3-5) with Healthcare Professionals will be conducted to discuss challenges associated with transitions in the last year of life. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION:Ethical approval has been obtained from the Ethics Commission of the Faculty of Medicine of Cologne University (#17-188). Results will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER:The study is registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00011925) and in the Health Services Research Database (VfD_CoRe-Net_17_003806).

Dataset Information

The Epidemiology of Depressive Symptoms in the Last Year of Life.

Background/objective

Design

Setting

Participants

Measures

Results

Conclusions

Publications

The Epidemiology of Depressive Symptoms in the Last Year of Life.

Similar Datasets

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