Dementia worry and depressive symptoms: a systematic review

This review synthesizes the current literature on the relationship between dementia worry (DW), or anxiety about dementia, and depressive symptoms.

A comprehensive literature search was conducted between September and October of 2024. The following databases were searched: PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and Web of Science. Studies were included if they were published in peer-reviewed journals, available in English, and included statistical analyses between DW and depressive symptoms. Articles were excluded if they did not measure DW and depressive symptoms or statistically analyze the relationship between them. Data on sample characteristics, study quality, measures, statistical analyses, and results were examined to inform conclusions.

This review included 20 studies with 18 distinct samples, totaling 9,288 participants. Thirteen studies found significant relationships between DW and depressive symptoms, three were not significant, and three had mixed findings.

DW and depressive symptoms co-occur, but this relationship may vary based on sex and exposure to dementia. Conclusions were drawn based on the strengths (e.g. multiple covariates) and weaknesses (e.g. cross-sectional design) of each study reviewed. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.