Depression Under-Treated in Elderly and Men, Survey Finds

Experts agree that depression is a potentially serious illness. And, according to a recent study reported in General Hospital Psychiatry, under-treatment is widespread, especially for some groups including men and the elderly.

Researchers used data from 13,320 U.S. adults who answered a nine-question survey widely used to diagnose depression. In the sample, 24.1 percent were depressed, with 36.6 of the depressed group having moderate-to-severe depression. Overall, 70 percent of depressed people in the study had received no treatment whatsoever.

The study also showed that for patients with moderate or moderate-to-severe depression, only 1 in 5 received any treatment and only 1 in 4 received medication, according to lead author Saranrat Wittayanukor, a doctoral student in the department of health outcomes research and policy at Auburn University’s Harrison School of Pharmacy.

Participants who were male, Mexican- or African-American, and older than 80 were identified as being at special risk for receiving no treatment.

“It’s important information,” said Bradley Gaynes, M.D., MPH, professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, “for patients who may avoid discussing depression due to stigma, for clinicians who may not discuss depression because doing so cuts into the time they have to address other conditions, and for payers, who may question the need to cover its care.”

 To learn more about this report, visit http://pharmacy.auburn.edu/news_events/2013_2014/depression_study.htm.