Abstract
BackgroundLittle is known about longitudinal associations among measures of depression, mental and physical health, and quality of life (QOL). We followed 982 clinically depressed persons to determine which measures changed and whether the change was synchronous with change in depressive symptoms.MethodsData were from the Longitudinal Investigation of Depression Outcomes (LIDO). Depressive symptoms, physical and mental health, and quality of life were measured at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 9 months. Change in the measures was examined over time and for persons with different levels of change in depressive symptoms.ResultsOn average, all of the measures improved significantly over time, and most were synchronous with change in depressive symptoms. Measures of mental health changed the most, and physical health the least. The measures of change in QOL were intermediate. The 6-week change in QOL could be explained completely by change in depressive symptoms. The instruments varied in sensitivity to changes in depressive symptoms.ConclusionIn clinically depressed persons, measures of physical health, mental health, and quality of life showed consistent longitudinal associations with measures of depressive symptoms.
Highlights
Little is known about longitudinal associations among measures of depression, mental and physical health, and quality of life (QOL)
The primary goal of this paper is to determine whether mental health, physical health, and quality of life changed over time in persons who were clinically depressed at baseline, and to determine whether the change in depressive symptoms was synchronous with change in the other measures
The overall aim of the Longitudinal Investigation of Depression Outcomes (LIDO) study was to characterize associations among quality of life (QOL), economic and depression outcomes, based on a multi-national observational study involving a prospective cohort of primary care patients with major depressive disorder [6]
Summary
Little is known about longitudinal associations among measures of depression, mental and physical health, and quality of life (QOL). The constructs of depression, mental and physical health, and quality of life (QOL) are believed to be distinct but closely related. Depressed persons had worse health status and QOL than others in several cross-sectional comparisons [1,2,3,4,5,6]. A few studies in primary care and specialty samples have examined longitudinal associations between depression and measures of health status or disability. In a sample of high utilizers of general medical care, improvement in depression over 12 months was associated with significant reductions in both days of disability due to illness and in self-rated disability [7]. In a sample of primary care patients, long-term (1 to 3 year)
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