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Depressive Symptoms After Hospitalization in Older Adults: Function and Mortality Outcomes
Published Web Location
https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.12008Abstract
Objectives
To determine the relationship between depressive symptoms after hospitalization and survival and functional outcomes.Design
Secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study.Setting
General medical service of two urban, teaching hospitals in Ohio.Participants
Hospitalized individuals aged 70 and older.Measurements
Ten depressive symptoms, instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and basic activities of daily living (ADLs) were measured at hospital discharge and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months later. Participant-specific changes in depressive symptoms (slopes) were determined using all data points. Four groups were also defined according to number of depressive symptoms (≤3 symptoms, low; 4-10 symptoms, high) at discharge and follow-up: low-low, low-high, high-low, and high-high. Mortality was measured 3, 6, and 12 months after hospital discharge.Results
Participant-specific discharge depressive symptoms and change in depressive symptoms over time (slopes) were associated (P < .05) with functional and mortality outcomes. At 1 year, more participants in the low-low depressive symptom group (49%) were alive and independent in IADLs and ADLs than in the low-high group (37%, P = .02), and more participants in the high-low group (39%) were alive and independent in IADLs and ADLs than in the high-high group (19%, P < .001).Conclusion
Number of depressive symptoms and change in number of depressive symptoms during the year after discharge were associated with functional and mortality outcomes in hospitalized older adults. Fewer participants with persistently high or increasing depressive symptoms after hospitalization were alive and functionally independent 1 year later than participants with decreasing or persistently low symptoms, respectively.Many UC-authored scholarly publications are freely available on this site because of the UC's open access policies. Let us know how this access is important for you.
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