Does a single-item measure of depression predict mortality?

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Epidemiology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Depression is a common mental health issue in older adults.
• Predicting mortality risk in this population is crucial for public health.
• Existing depression measures can be lengthy and complex.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate if a single-item depression measure predicts 5-year mortality in older adults.
• To assess the utility of a brief depression screening question in a population-based cohort.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of a population-based cohort study in Manitoba, Canada.
• Included 1751 community-dwelling adults aged 65 years or older.
• Used a single item from the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale to assess self-reported depression.

Main Results:

• Individuals reporting depression had a 5-year mortality rate of 30.2% compared to 19.7% in those without (P < .001).
• This association remained significant after adjusting for age, sex, education, functional status, and cognition (aOR 1.35; 95% CI 1.03-1.76).
• Depression measures did not predict mortality in participants with cognitive impairment.

Conclusions:

• A simple, single-item depression measure predicts mortality in cognitively intact older adults.
• The predictive value of this measure is limited in older adults with cognitive impairment.
• Further research is needed to determine the clinical utility of this brief depression screening question.