Do Centenarians Have Higher Levels of Depression? Findings from the Georgia Centenarian Study

• Published in: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS) Vol. 60; no. 2; pp. 238 - 242
• Main Authors: Scheetz, Laura T., Martin, Peter, Poon, Leonard W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken, NJ Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2012; Wiley-Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Age Factors; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; centenarians; Depression; Depression - diagnosis; Depression - epidemiology; fatigue; Female; General aspects; Georgia; Geriatric Assessment; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Mental depression; Miscellaneous; Mood disorders; Older people; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Surveys and Questionnaires; Georgia; Human; Mood disorder; Gerontology; Oldest old; Depression; Fatigue; Georgia; Elderly; Geriatrics; centenarians
• ISSN: 0002-8614; 1532-5415
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.2011.03828.x

Objectives To examine age differences on specific items and subscales of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Design Specific items, subscales, and total score on the GDS of three age groups were compared. Setting Community‐dwelling older adults. Participants One hundred thirty‐nine centenarians were compared with 93 octogenarians and 91 sexagenarians. Measurements GDS scores. Results Results indicated age group differences in overall depression score and in withdrawal‐apathy‐vigor (WAV), cognitive impairment, and hopelessness subscale scores. Significant age group differences were also obtained for 12 of the 30 items. Centenarians rated higher on all subscales, but there was no difference in dysphoric mood and worry. Conclusion It is important to distinguish different dimensions of depression when assessing very old populations because some of the questions on the GDS are associated with fatigue, mild cognitive decline, and decline in physical functioning, which increase with aging. Future research should revisit the concept of depression in very late life.