[Anxiety and depression in the elderly: results of a regional examination]

The aim of this study was to determine the point prevalence of anxiety, depression and a mixed form of anxiety and depression in people older than 54 years.

A cross-section study by postal questioning using HADS-D was carried out.

In total, 24.8% of the examined population group reported about having anxiety, depression or a mixed form of both - depression: 12.7% (men: 5.1%, women: 7.6%), anxiety: 4% (men: 1.5%, women: 2.5%), mixed form: 8.1% (men: 2.5%, women: 5.5%). There was no significant statistical difference between men and women in severity of the examined psychological disorders. However, the mean scores in men as well as in women were higher with multiple psychological stress factors than with single psychological stress. Women were significantly more affected by the mixed form than men (χ (2)=5.2; p=0.02). There were positive correlations between age and seriousness of depression in the mixed form in women (r=0.62; p=0.001).

In comparison, depression in older people develops 3 times and anxiety 2 times more often than in the general population; the sex ratio (men:women) in the general population is 1:2 for depression and anxiety; in the present study the ratio is almost 2:3.