The DOI matches its Crossref record; 72 of the 73 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
A Systematic Review of the Mortality of Depression
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The literature on the mortality of depression was assessed with respect to five issues: 1) strength of evidence for increased mortality, 2) controlling for mediating factors, 3) the contribution of suicide, 4) variation across sample types, and 5) possible mechanisms. METHOD: All relevant English language databases from 1966 to 1996 were searched for reviews and studies that included 1) a formal assessment of depressive symptoms or disorders, 2) death rates or risks, and 3) an appropriate comparison group. RESULTS: There were 57 studies found; 29 (51%) were positive, 13 (23%) negative, and 15 (26%) mixed. Twenty-one studies (37%) ranked among the better studies on the strength of evidence scale used in this study, but there are too few comparable, well-controlled studies to provide a sound estimate of the mortality risk associated with depression. Only six studies controlled for more than one of the four major mediating factors. Suicide accounted for less than 20% of the deaths in psychiatric samples, and less than 1% in medical and community samples. Depression seems to increase the risk of death by cardiovascular disease, especially in men, but depression does not seem to increase the risk of death by cancer. Variability in methods prevents a more rigorous meta-analysis of risk. CONCLUSION: The studies linking depression to early death are poorly controlled, but they suggest that depression substantially increases the risk of death, especially death by unnatural causes and cardiovascular disease. Future well-controlled studies of high risk groups may guide efforts to develop treatments that reduce the mortality risk of depression.
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“comorbid depression is often associated with a worse course of the physical disorder.114–116 A number of reasons could be involved here, but one of the most consistently documented is that depression is often associated with non-adherence to treatment regimens.112, 117, 118”
From The Costs of Depression (2012) · cites this paper as [118]
Citations
Cites
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Depression and 18-Month Prognosis After Myocardial Infarction
Frasure‐Smith, N., Lespérance, F., & Talajic, M. R. (1995) · Circulation · doi:10.1161/01.cir.91.4.999 · Cited by 1,546
Symptoms of depression, acute myocardial infarction, and total mortality in a community sample
Barefoot, J. C., & Schroll, M. (1996) · Circulation · doi:10.1161/01.cir.93.11.1976 · Cited by 850
Depressed Affect, Hopelessness, and the Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease in a Cohort of U.S. Adults
Anda, R. F., Williamson, D. F., Jones, D., Macera, C., Eaker, E. D., Glassman, A. H., & Marks, J. S. (1993) · Epidemiology · doi:10.1097/00001648-199307000-00003 · Cited by 770
Suicide and Primary Affective Disorders
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Cigarette smoking: implications for psychiatric illness
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Personality as independent predictor of long-term mortality in patients with coronary heart disease
Denollet, J., Rombouts, H., Gillebert, T. C., Brutsaert, D. L., Sys, S. U., Brutsaert, D. L., & Stroobant, N. (1996) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(96)90007-0 · Cited by 679
Depression and the Course of Coronary Artery Disease
Glassman, A. H., & Shapiro, P. A. (1998) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.155.1.4 · Cited by 674
Hopelessness and Risk of Mortality and Incidence of Myocardial Infarction and Cancer
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Exaggerated platelet reactivity in major depression
Musselman, D. L., Tomer, A., Manatunga, A. K., Knight, B. T., Porter, M. R., Kasey, S., Marzec, U. M., Harker, L. A., & Nemeroff, C. B. (1996) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.153.10.1313 · Cited by 566
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- Lindesay, 1989, J Geriatr Psychiatry, 22, 53
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The Epidemiology of Depression Across Cultures
Kessler, R. C., & Bromet, E. J. (2013) · Annual Review of Public Health · doi:10.1146/annurev-publhealth-031912-114409 · Cited by 2,657
“With these considerations, it should not be surprising that MDD is associated with significantly elevated risk of early death (21, 28, 145).”
BackgroundBrosschot, J. F., Gerin, W., & Thayer, J. F. (2006) · Journal of Psychosomatic Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2005.06.074 · Cited by 1,643
“, [35,36]).”
Risk factors for suicide in individuals with depression: a systematic review
Hawton, K., Casañas i Comabella, C., Haw, C., & Saunders, K. (2013) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2013.01.004 · Cited by 1,469
Gallo, L. C., & Matthews, K. A. (2003) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.129.1.10 · Cited by 1,366
“…“healthy” individuals and about double that for depressed versus nondepressed patients recovering from MI. Finally, a detailed and comprehensive review by Wulsin et al. (1999) examined the association between depression and all-cause mortality in 57 studies published between 1966 and 1996.”
BackgroundKaton, W. J. (2003) · Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0006-3223(03)00273-7 · Cited by 1,248
“A systematic survey of 57 studies (1966 –1996) from the world’s literature examining the risk of increased mortality in patients with depression found that 29 (51%) were positive, 13 (23%) were negative, and 15 (26%) were mixed ( Wulsin et al 1999 ).”
Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Wulsin, L. R., Vaillant, G. E., & Wells, V. E.
- Affiliations
- University of Cincinnati (US)
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
- ORCID
- Wulsin, Lawson R.
- Venue
- Psychosomatic Medicine
- Published
- 1999
- Volume
- 61
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 6-17
- ISSN
- 0033-3174 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2057242026
- Cited by
- 703
- References
- 73
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 30 · 2015: 29 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 46 · 2012: 31
- FWCI
- 5.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychosomatic Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac Health and Mental Health
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Suicide and Self-Harm Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- depression, mortality, suicide, cardiovascular disease, cancer mortality, mediators, psychiatric patients, community population, sex differences, risk factors
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged
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