Chronic Illness and Depression

"Depression is not a normal part of aging, yet it is a major health problem among the elderly that is all too often undiagnosed or under diagnosed," said Terry Mills, Ph.D., a former graduate research assistant with our project, and now an assistant professor at the University of Florida, Gainesville.
     He has studied our data to explore some of the side effects of chronic illness. During the period 1988 to 1991, Dr. Mills found that "heart disease, respiratory illness and digestive disorders were individually more significant in increasing symptoms of depression than the total number of illnesses that an individual might be facing."
     Dr. Mills speculates that these three chronic illnesses represent particularly debilitating health burdens contributing to depression. Major depression is persistent and interferes with a person's ability to function in daily life. "There are many elders walking around who might have multiple symptoms of depression but not the five or more nedded to constitute clinical depression," Dr. Mills said.
     The study also raises questions about the effectiveness of regular church going as a remedy for depressions. "You might think people with a high-level of spirituality and church attendance would have lower rates of depression, but it appears that for those who are between 55 and 64, church attendance itself seems to exacerbate their level of depression," Mills said.
     "Perhaps this group, sometimes terms the 'young elderly,' are heavily involved in church activities and find these additional demands stressful in an already burdened life."
     Dr. Mills stressed the importance of older people making he connection between their health and emotional status.
     "Depression may not be the first thing a person would think of that would cause ill health, but the connection is definitely there."
     Medications are available. Many elders who are depressed are not being screened by health-care professionals to pick up on what can be a very treatable illness.