Diagnosing Depression in Older Adults in Primary Care

Abstract

The prevalence of diagnosed depression in U.S. adults 65 years of age or older doubled from 3% to 6% between 1992 and 2005.1 A majority of patients with diagnosed depression were treated with antidepressant medications by primary care and other general medical clinicians.1 Several factors probably contributed to this trend, including publicity regarding the extent of underdiagnosis and undertreatment of depression in older adults, aggressive pharmaceutical marketing efforts targeting providers and consumers, and the introduction of new antidepressants. A majority of the people diagnosed with depression in primary care settings, however, do not meet the diagnostic criteria for major depressive . . .