Gesundheitswesen 2012; 74 - A111
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1322097

The relationship between social integration and depression in non-demented primary care attenders aged 75 years and older

M Schwarzbach 1, M Luppa 1, C Sikorski 1, A Fuchs 2, W Maier 3, H van den Bussche 4, M Pentzek 2, SG Riedel-Heller 1
  • 1Universität Leipzig, Medizinische Fakultät
  • 2Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Abteilung für Allgemeinmedizin
  • 3Universitätsklinikum Bonn, Klinik und Poliklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie
  • 4Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Institut für Allgemeinmedizin

Background: Social integration seems to be associated with depression in late life. To date in most studies the different domains of social integration are examined separately. Berkman et al. developed the social integration index (SII) to cover all domains of social integration.

Aims: To examine the association of the social integration index and depression in non-demented primary care attenders aged 75 years and older.

Method: Data were derived from the longitudinal German study on Aging, Cognition and Dementia in primary care patients (AgeCoDe). Included in the cross-sectional survey were 1028 non-demented subjects aged 75 years and older. The GDS-15 Geriatric Depression Scale was used to measure depression with a threshold of 6. Associations of the SII and further potential risk factors and depression were analysed using multivariate logistic regression models.

Results: The SII was significantly associated with depression in the elderly. After full adjustment for all variables, odds ratios for depression were significantly higher for lower levels of the SII, having a care level, impaired vision and mobility and subjective memory complaints. These results suggest that in this cohort of older subjects, social integration is an important risk factor of depression.

Conclusion: Because the social integration index covers several aspects of social integration, the results seem to be more significant than considering only one of these domains solitary. Further research is needed to prove the practicability of the social integration index and to supply the literature with consistent results regarding the association of social integration and depression. Elderly with depression could benefit from increased social networks and enhanced social integration, which points to the development of social programs and social policies that maximize the engagement of older adults in social activities and volunteer roles.

References:

Berkman,L.F., Melchior,M., Chastang,J.F., Niedhammer,I., Leclerc,A., Goldberg,M., 2004. Social integration and mortality: A prospective study of French employees of electricity of France-gas of France. American Journal of Epidemiology 159(2), 167–174.