The prevalence and associates of depressive disorders in the oldest-old Finns

Aim: To describe the prevalence and associates of major depression and mino r depression among the Finnish non-demented population aged 85 years and ol der (n = 339). Methods: DSM-III-R criteria were used in diagnosing major de pression and dementia. Minor depression was diagnosed by the physician in t hose who did not fulfil the DSM-III-R criteria for major depression, but ha d still at least two depressive symptoms. In the first phase, cross-tabulat ion was used to determine relative risks (RR) and their 95% confidential in tervals (95% CI). An additive logistic regression model was then used to fi nd the independent associates of depressive disorders. Results: The prevale nce of major depression was 8.1% in men and 4.9% in women, and that of mino r depression 18.9% in men and 18.5% in women. In men major depression was a ssociated independently with poor physical health and in women with tare co ntact with family or friends and poor physical health. Minor depression was associated independently with poor physical health and previous myocardial infarction in men and with poor physical health, a poor ability to walk, a nd smoking in women. Conclusions: The prevalence of depressive disorders is quite high among the oldest-old Finns. The factors associated with major a nd minor depression are largely similar, although the results suggest that psychosocial stress factors affect the development of both major and minor depression in the oldest-old, no conclusions about causality call be made.