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Cited by 14,152Aging, Health, and DisabilityHealth and Well-being StudiesMental Health Treatment and Access

Depression and quality of life in older persons: A review

Sivertsen, Heidi, Bjørkløf, Guro Hanevold, Engedal, Knut, Selbæk, Geir, Helvik, Anne-Sofie·2015·Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
DOI 10.1159/000437299
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Depression is a prevalent and disabling condition in older persons (≥ 60 years) that increases the risk of mortality and negatively influences quality of life (QOL). The relationship between depression, or depressive symptoms, and QOL has been increasingly addressed by research in recent years, but a review that can contribute to a better understanding of this relationship in older persons is lacking. Against this background, we undertook a literature review to assess the relationship between depression and QOL in older persons. SUMMARY: Extensive electronic database searches revealed 953 studies. Of these, 74 studies fulfilled our criteria for inclusion, of which 52 were cross-sectional studies and 22 were longitudinal studies. Thirty-five studies were conducted in a clinical setting, while 39 were community-based epidemiological studies. A clear definition of the QOL concept was described in 25 studies, and 24 different assessment instruments were employed to assess QOL. Depressed older persons had poorer global and generic health-related QOL than nondepressed individuals. An increase in depression severity was associated with a poorer global and generic health-related QOL. The associations appeared to be stable over time and independent of how QOL was assessed. KEY MESSAGES: This review found a significant association between severity of depression and poorer QOL in older persons, and the association was found to be stable over time, regardless which assessment instruments for QOL were applied. The lack of a definition of the multidimensional and multilevel concept QOL was common, and the large variety of QOL instruments in various studies make a direct comparison between the studies difficult.

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  • In older ages, the presence of mild depressive symptoms is strongly associated with an increased risk of mortality, decline of overall health status and low quality of life.

    “In older ages, the presence of mild depressive symptoms are strongly associated with an increased risk of mortality, decline of overall health status and low quality of life (Cai et al., 2020;Holwerda et al., 2016;Sivertsen et al., 2015).”

    From Prevalence and age patterns of depression in the United Kingdom. A population-based study (2021) · cites this paper as Sivertsen et al., 2015

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Authors
Sivertsen, H., Bjørkløf, G. H., Engedal, K., Selbæk, G., & Helvik, A.-S.
Affiliations
  • Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO)
  • Norwegian National Centre for Ageing and Health (NO)
  • University of Oslo (NO)
ORCID
Venue
Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
Publisher
S. Karger AG
Published
2015
Volume
40
Issue
5-6
Pages
311-339
ISSN
  • 1420-8008 (ISSN-L)
  • 1421-9824
DOI
10.1159/000437299
OpenAlex
W1845447069
Cited by
14,152
References
138
Citations by year
2026: 39 · 2025: 630 · 2024: 1340 · 2023: 1537 · 2022: 1779 · 2021: 1204 · 2020: 1051 · 2019: 1012 · 2018: 998 · 2017: 911 · 2016: 823 · 2015: 766 · 2014: 331 · 2013: 179 · 2012: 110
FWCI
168.19
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
Locations
  • Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Health and Well-being Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
Keywords
depression, quality of life, older adults, health-related quality of life, depressive symptoms, depression severity, mortality risk
MeSH terms
Aged, Depression, Depressive Disorder, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Quality of Life, Residence Characteristics, Severity of Illness Index, Geriatric Assessment

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