Journal of affective disorders
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Depression is a common and disabling psychiatric disorder in later life. Particular frail nursing home patients seem to be at increased risk. Nursing home-based studies on risk indicators of depression are scarce. ⋯ The prevalence of depression in the nursing home population is very high. Whichever way defined, the prevalence rates found were three to four times higher than in the community-dwelling elderly. Age, pain, visual impairment, stroke, functional limitations, negative life events, loneliness, lack of social support and perceived inadequacy of care were found to be risk indicators for depression. Consequently, optimal physical treatment and special attention and focus on psychosocial factors must be major goals in developing care programs for this frail population.
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Comparative Study
Cognitive complexity of self-administered depression measures.
Self-administered depression measures are important tools for research and practice, but their utility depends on the quality of the measurements they yield. Respondent comprehension is essential for meaningful measurement and prior studies have used readability indices to assess comprehensibility. Readability, however, is only one aspect of comprehension and empirical evidence shows that comprehension and measurement quality decrease as the cognitive complexity of standardized questions increases. Thus, cognitive complexity may provide a useful guide for selecting measures to maximize measurement quality. ⋯ Since cognitive complexity is likely to limit comprehension and reduce measurement accuracy, it merits consideration in selection of self-administered depression measures.
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
The influence of major depression and its treatment on heart rate variability and pupillary light reflex parameters.
The link between depression and autonomic dysfunction has attracted more attention since epidemiological studies have revealed that depressed patients have an augmented risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Former studies of autonomic dysfunction in major depression have shown inconclusive results. ⋯ The state of depression did not influence autonomic parameters significantly. In fact, treatment influenced autonomic function far more than the disease itself. Other branches of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), as well as new techniques should be applied to elucidate whether small changes in autonomic function exist. This might clarify whether disease or treatment might influence cardiac mortality in depression.
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Previous findings in referred samples documented significant diagnostic specificity in patterns of transmission between parents with panic disorder (PD) and parents with major depression (MD) and their offspring. This study evaluated whether these patterns of transmission between parents and high-risk offspring are moderated by referral bias. ⋯ These results extend to non-referred samples previous findings from referred samples documenting diagnostic specificity in the familial transmission of PD/AG and MD from parents to offspring, suggesting that these patterns of transmission are not due to referral bias. These results could inform and enhance community programs aimed at screening for and treating pediatric psychopathology.
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Seasonal variations in suicide deaths and attempted suicides have been reported for many countries. Recent research has suggested that seasonal patterns of suicide deaths have diminished considerably. The seasonality pattern between attempts and completed ones are not the same. This paper is the first one to examine seasonal variation between suicide deaths and attempts simultaneously. ⋯ This study reinforces the findings that seasonal variation in suicide appears to be diminishing. Also, suicide attempters and completed suicides in Hong Kong seem to arise from two non-identical but overlapping groups in the community.