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Health services use for mental health problems by community-living seniors with depression

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2007

Martin G. Cole ,
Jane McCusker ,
Maida Sewitch ,
Antonio Ciampi  and
Alina Dyachenko
Martin G. Cole*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, St. Mary's Hospital Center and McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Jane McCusker
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Community Studies, St. Mary's Hospital Center and McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Maida Sewitch
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Community Studies, St. Mary's Hospital Center and McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Antonio Ciampi
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Community Studies, St. Mary's Hospital Center and McGill University, Montreal, Canada
Alina Dyachenko
Affiliation:
Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Community Studies, St. Mary's Hospital Center, Montreal, Canada
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Martin G. Cole, Department of Psychiatry, St. Mary's Hospital Center, 3830 Lacombe Avenue, Montreal, Quebec, H3T 1M5, Canada. Phone +1 514 345-3511 × 5060; Fax +1 514 734-2652. Email: [email protected].
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Abstract

Background: The literature on health services (HS) use for mental health problems by community-living seniors with depression is sparse. This study aimed to characterize patterns of HS use for mental health problems by seniors with depressive disorders and symptoms during the previous 12 months.

Method: The study used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 1.2: Mental Health and Well-Being (N = 7736). Information was collected on demographic, social, mental, physical and functional variables and HS use for mental health problems. We obtained simple univariate and bivariate descriptions of the data and developed multivariate predictive models for each of the HS utilization variables.

Results: Rates of any HS use for mental health problems ranged from 1.8% for those with no depressive symptoms to 31.1% for those with major depression. Variables predicting increased HS use were: depressive disorder or symptoms, clinically significant distress or impairment, age 65–84, single, post-secondary education, religiousness, disability, co-morbid mental disorder and fewer friends and positive social interactions. Variables predicting HS use among depressed seniors were physical health, psychiatric co-morbidity and activity limitation.

Conclusion: Community-living seniors with major depression, co-morbid major depression and depressive symptoms were more likely to use psychiatrist, family physician, other professional and self-help services for mental health problems but less than a third actually did so.

Keywords

depressionagedhealth services use
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , June 2008 , pp. 554 - 570
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2007

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