The 5-year prognosis for 264 depressed elderly Finns (60 years or older) living in the community and treated through the primary health care service is described. The majority of the patients were suffering from dysthymic disorder. It was found that 25% of the men and 35% of the women had recovered, 29% of the men and 24% of the women were still suffering from depression after the five-year period, 9% of the men and 11% of the women had become demented, 33% of the men and 26% of the women had died, and 4% of the cases were not contacted. The prognosis did not differ between the sexes, neither was it associated with age.

Poor psychic health and pronounced depressive symptoms at the beginning of the treatment, and the occurrence of a serious disease or a decline in functional capacities during the follow-up were related to a poor prognosis in both sexes. The specific disease group related to a poor prognosis in women was that of cardiovascular diseases. A close connection between a poor prognosis and a low socioeconomic status was found in the depressed men, while a favorable prognosis was shown for relatively healthy, even widowed, depressed women who moved to live alone during the follow-up period, women who increased their amount of physical exercise, and men and women whose hobby activities increased.