Depression in older people

Some of the main findings presented in a Ph.D  thesis by Dr Els Licht-Strunk (general practitioner and epidemioligst) of the VU medical Centre in Amsterdam were:

• Depressive symptoms can be found in 25% of patients aged 55 and over when consulting their general practitioner
• Of these, more than 50% met the diagnostic criteria for depressive disorder
• However, no diagnosis was made by the general practitioner in two-thirds of the group that met the diagnostic criteria
• In the group with a missed diagnosis, two thirds continued to experience depressive complaints during  the course of a year and did not receive adequate treatment for their condition.

Dr Els Lict-Strunk monitored around 400 depressed primary care patients aged 55+ over three years, interviewing them once every half year.  The results of her thesis emphasise the importance of improving primary care for depressed older people.

Source of information:  Dr Els Licht-Strunk/Trimbos Institute