International Psychogeriatrics
- International Psychogeriatrics / Volume 22 / Special Issue 08 / December 2010, pp 1240-1247
- Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2010
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1041610210001523 (About DOI), Published online: 15 September 2010
Focus on prevention in psychogeriatrics
A comparison of the frequencies of risk factors for depression in older black and white participants in a study of indicated prevention
Roy Sriwattanakomena1, Jesse McPherrona2, Jamie Chatmana1, Jennifer Q. Morsea3, Lynn M. Martirea3, Jordan F. Karpa3, Patricia R. Houcka3, Salem Bensasia3, Jill Houlea3, Jacqueline A. Stacka3, Mattie Woodsa4, Bruce Blocka3, Stephen B. Thomasa1, Sandra Quinna1 and Charles F. Reynolds IIIa3 c1
a1 University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Graduate School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A.
a2 University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa, Department of Psychology, Tuscaloosa, AL, U.S.A.
a3 University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry; Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A.
a4 Center for Healthy Hearts and Souls, Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A.
ABSTRACT
Background: To compare the frequencies of risk factors, we describe risks for depression as a function of race among consecutively admitted participants in a randomized clinical trial of indicated depression prevention in later life.
Methods: Seventy-two black and 143 white participants were screened for risk factors for depression.
Results: Black participants were more likely to have fewer years of education and lower household income. They were more likely to be obese, live alone, experience functional disability, have a history of alcohol and drug abuse, and have lower scores on the Mini-mental State Examination and the Executive Interview (EXIT). White participants were not found to have greater prevalence or higher mean score on any risk factor. On average, black participants experienced approximately one more risk factor than white participants (t(213) = 3.32, p = 0.0011).
Conclusions: In our sample, black participants had higher frequencies of eight risk factors for depression and a greater mean number of risk factors compared to white participants.
(Received April 30 2010)
(Revised May 20 2010)
(Revised June 24 2010)
(Accepted June 27 2010)
(Online publication September 15 2010)
Key words:
Correspondence:
c1 Correspondence should be addressed to: Charles F. Reynolds III, M.D.; Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, 3811 O'Hara Street; Pittsburgh, PA 15213, U.S.A. Phone: +1 412-246-6414; Fax: +1 412-246-5300. Email: reynoldscf@upmc.edu.
