Risk Factors of Trajectories of Depressive Symptoms among Older Adults with Disability

Abstract

Objectives: Recent longitudinal studies examining changes in depressive symptoms among older adults with disability reported mixed results. The current study sought to determine if subgroups of older adults with disability diagnosed by a doctor follow distinctive trajectories of depressive symptoms and the factors associated with the depressive symptom trajectories. Methods: Study participants were those who participated in the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing and aged above 65. A semi-parametric group-based model was performed to identify the trajectories of depressive symptom changes with time measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression. Results: The present study found three distinctive depressive symptom trajectories. Social participation (OR = 0.55 for Low vs. Risk-persistent, OR = 0.55 Low vs. Risk-Increasing), ADL (OR = 1.21 for Low vs. Risk-Persistent, OR = 1.38 for Low vs. Risk-Increasing), and satisfaction with economic status (OR = 0.99 for Low vs. Risk-Persistent, OR = 0.98 for Low vs. Risk-Increasing) were associated with the trajectory group membership. Conclusions: Depressive symptoms trajectories among older adults with disability were not homogeneous. Intervention to help older adults with disability manage their social relationship, lifestyle, and economic circumstances. Key words: Depressive symptoms, Older adults with disability, Trajectories