The Course of Depressive Symptoms Over 36 Months in 696 Newly Admitted Nursing Home Residents

To investigate the course of depressive symptoms in newly admitted nursing home (NH) residents and how resident characteristics were associated with the symptoms. To identify groups of residents following the same symptom trajectory.

An observational, multicenter, longitudinal study over 36 months with 7 biannual assessments.

Representing 47 Norwegian NHs, 696 residents were included at admission to a NH.

Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD). We selected severity of dementia, functional impairment, physical health, pain, use of antidepressants, age, and sex as covariates. Time trend in CSDD score was assessed by a linear mixed model adjusting for covariates. Next, a growth mixture model was estimated to investigate whether there were groups of residents following distinct trajectories in CSDD scores. We estimated a nominal regression model to assess whether the covariates at admission were associated to group membership.

There was a nonlinear trend in CSDD score. More severe dementia, a lower level of functioning, poorer physical health, more pain, use of antidepressants, and younger age at admission were associated with higher CSDD scores. Growth mixture model identified 4 groups: (1) persistent mild symptoms (32.6%), (2) persistent moderate symptoms (50.8%), (3) increasing symptoms (5.1%), and (4) severe but decreasing symptoms (11.6%). A lower level of functioning, poorer physical health, more pain, use of antidepressants, and younger age at admission were associated with higher odds for belonging to the severe but decreasing symptoms group compared with the persistent mild symptoms group.

Most NH residents were in trajectory groups with persistent mild or moderate depressive symptoms. Residents with more severe dementia, lower levels of functioning, poor physical health, severe pain, younger age at admittance, and who are using antidepressants should be monitored closely and systematically with respect to depression. Taking actions toward a more personalized treatment for depression in NHs is a priority and should be investigated in future studies.