TY - JOUR
T1 - On becoming depressed or anxious in late life
T2 - Similar vulnerability factors but different effects of stressful life events
AU - De Beurs, E.
AU - Beekman, A.
AU - Geerlings, S.
AU - Deeg, D.
AU - Van Dyck, R.
AU - Van Tilburg, W.
PY - 2001
Y1 - 2001
N2 - Background: Little research has been done on the uniqueness of risk profiles for depression and anxiety in late life. Aims: Delineating risk factors for the decline of mental health in older persons, comparing risk profiles for developing symptoms of pure depression, pure anxiety and both anxiety and depression in a prospective design. Method: Self-report data on depression and anxiety were collected from community-dwelling older respondents (≥ 55 years) on two occasions, 3 years apart. Data from emotionally healthy respondents (n=1810) were used to investigate the effects of long-standing vulnerability factors and stressful life events. Results: After 3 years 9% of the subjects had scored beyond the thresholds for symptoms. Vulnerability for depression and anxiety was quite similar, but life events differed: onset of depression was predicted by death of a partner or other relatives; onset of anxiety was best predicted by having a partner who developed a major illness. No support for moderator effects between vulnerability factors and stress was found; the effects were purely additive. Conclusions: Depression and anxiety have many risk factors in common, but specific risk factors also were found, especially in subjects developing both depression and anxiety.
AB - Background: Little research has been done on the uniqueness of risk profiles for depression and anxiety in late life. Aims: Delineating risk factors for the decline of mental health in older persons, comparing risk profiles for developing symptoms of pure depression, pure anxiety and both anxiety and depression in a prospective design. Method: Self-report data on depression and anxiety were collected from community-dwelling older respondents (≥ 55 years) on two occasions, 3 years apart. Data from emotionally healthy respondents (n=1810) were used to investigate the effects of long-standing vulnerability factors and stressful life events. Results: After 3 years 9% of the subjects had scored beyond the thresholds for symptoms. Vulnerability for depression and anxiety was quite similar, but life events differed: onset of depression was predicted by death of a partner or other relatives; onset of anxiety was best predicted by having a partner who developed a major illness. No support for moderator effects between vulnerability factors and stress was found; the effects were purely additive. Conclusions: Depression and anxiety have many risk factors in common, but specific risk factors also were found, especially in subjects developing both depression and anxiety.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0035179290&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.179.5.426
DO - https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.179.5.426
M3 - Article
C2 - 11689400
SN - 0007-1250
VL - 179
SP - 426
EP - 431
JO - British Journal of Psychiatry
JF - British Journal of Psychiatry
IS - NOV.
ER -