Abstract
Background: Different factors are associated with late life depression and diagnosis, including gender. It has also been reported that depression among older people is underdiagnosed. As a result, the mental health needs of this group are insufficiently met. The aim of this study was to explore gender differences in the factors associated with positive screens for depression and self-reported diagnosis among older adults in Chile. Methods: Data from 3786 older adults who participated in the Social Protection Survey in 2016 were analysed. PHQ-9 was used to identify screen-positive cases. Self-reported diagnosis of depression was used to determine the proportion of people with a screen-positive result who had received a diagnosis of depression. Logistic regression models were used to determine sociodemographic and health factors associated with depression and underdiagnosis in older men and women. Results: The prevalence of a screen-positive result was 20.91% (5.83% major depressive disorder) among men, and 36.38% (12.43% major depressive disorder) among women. 18.77% of men and 34.11% of women with a positive depression screening had received a diagnosis. More educated men were more likely to receive a diagnosis. Older age was associated with a lower probability of diagnosis among older women. Conclusions: Our results suggest that depressive disorders are undiagnosed in a high proportion of older adults in Chile. Gender is a relevant factor in the underdiagnosis of depression in this group. Further research is needed to understand the factors involved in these gaps, to improve detection and provide timely support and treatment.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 54 |
| Journal | BMC Geriatrics |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This research employed information from the databases of the Social Protection Survey of the Chilean Undersecretary of Social Protection. The authors acknowledge the Undersecretary of Social Protection, who is the intellectual property owner of the survey, for having allowed them to access the anonymised databases. The results of the study are responsibility of the authors, and they do not in any way commit that institution. The authours acknowledge the Vice-Rectory for Research and Doctoral Studies of the Universidad San Sebastián for providing the funding to publish this article.
Funding Information:
This article was funded by the project VRIDFAI21/11, from the Vice-Rectory for Research and Doctoral Studies of the Universidad San Sebastián. This institution played no role in the design of the study, or collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data or in writing the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, The Author(s).
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
