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A prospective study of widowhood and changes in symptoms of depression in a community sample of the elderly

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

C. F. Mendes De Leon ,
S. V. Kasl  and
S. Jacobs
C. F. Mendes De Leon*
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
S. V. Kasl
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
S. Jacobs
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Carlos F. Mendes de Leon, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yale University School of Medicine, 60 College Street, PO Box 208034, New Haven, CT 06520–8034, USA
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Synopsis

This survey examines changes in depressive symptomatology (CES-D) during bereavement in 1046 elderly subjects, of whom 139 became widowed during follow-up. Depression scores increased during the first year of bereavement, but generally returned to pre-widowhood levels thereafter. However, depression scores remained elevated among young-old widows (65–74year-olds) well after the first year of widowhood. Using cut-off scores, rates of high depressive symptoms remained somewhat elevated over baseline levels. Increases in depression scores during bereavement were not explained by socio-economic variables, health habits and health status. It is concluded that particularly young-old widows are at risk of developing chronic depressive symptomatology during bereavement that may warrant clinical attention.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 24 , Issue 3 , August 1994 , pp. 613 - 624
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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