RISK-FACTORS AND PSYCHOSOCIAL CONSEQUENCES IN DEPRESSION OF OCTOGENERIANS AND NONAGENERIANS - RESULTS OF AN EPIDEMIOLOGIC-STUDY

In a two-wave community study in Munich, Germany, a representative sam ple of 402 people older than 85 years was restudied 1 year later. In t he first cross section a total of 358 (89.1%) subjects were interviewe d. One year later 263 (73.5%) subjects were reexamined. Several diagno stic systems were used. The probands showed a high prevalence of depre ssion - nearly one quarter of the interviewees. In this extreme age gr oup gender differences in depression were minimal. Depressives were di stinctly impaired in daily life. Depressive probands were more often f ound in institutions than in private households. Depressives were high users of the medical care system, but very rarely treated by speciali sts. Need for care and certain specific especially threatening life ev ents were identified as risk factors for depression.