Gender differences in the recognition of depression in old age

The study should answer the question of whether identical symptom presentations of depression in male and female patients leads to similar recognition rates in primary care.

We performed a survey in primary care. Two written case vignettes were presented to 170 family physicians in a face-to-face interview which took place in their practices. The case vignettes described either a mildly depressed otherwise healthy old patient (case 1) or a severely depressed patient with somatic comorbidity (case 2). For each case different versions with regard to patients' gender were used: in case 1 only the gender of the patient varied; in case 2 both the gender and the anamnesis (stroke/hypothyroidism) varied. Afterwards the interviewers asked standardised open questions. The physicians were not aware of the mental health focus and the gender focus of the study.

The study is representative with a response rate of 77.6%. For primary diagnosis, the female versions were given the diagnosis of depression more often. There was a non-significant trend that female physicians considered depression more often.

The results show that gender-related experience and stereotypes on the physicians' side influence the diagnosis of (old age) depression in primary care. Further studies should elucidate the influence of the physicians' gender on the management of psychiatric disorders.