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Depression and mortality in elders referred for geriatric psychiatry consultation
Donald R Royall1, Jason E Schillerstrom, Paul K Piper
1Department of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA. royall@uthscsa.edu
Objective:
The association between depressive symptoms and mortality was assessed in a 7-year longitudinal follow-up of subjects referred for geropsychiatric consultation.
Methods:
The medical records of 89 referrals were reviewed. Survival analysis was performed on subjects stratified by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and residential status.
Results:
Fifty percent of subjects with GDS > 6 (n = 28) died by 19 months versus 54 months for subjects with GDS < 7 (n = 61) (chi2 = 13.2, df = 1, P < .001). GDS, medical burden, age, and gender were independently associated with survival.
Conclusions:
GDS scores greater than 6 are associated with increased risk of mortality in elders referred for geropsychiatric consultation.
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