Author:
HENDERSON A. S.,JORM A. F.,KORTEN A. E.,JACOMB P.,CHRISTENSEN H.,RODGERS B.
Abstract
Background. To test the hypothesis that the prevalence,
in the general population, of symptoms of
depression and anxiety declines with age.Methods. A general population sample of 2725 persons aged 18
to 79 years was administered two
inventories for current symptoms of depression and anxiety, together with
measures of neuroticism
and of exposures that may confer increased risk of such symptoms.Results. Symptoms of depression showed a decline with age in
both men and women. For anxiety,
the decline was statistically significant for women but not consistently
so for men. For the risk
factors examined, there was a decline with age in the neuroticism score,
the frequency of adverse
life events, being seriously short of money and having had parents who
separated or divorced.
Further analysis showed that the association between age and a declining
symptom score cannot be
entirely attributed to these risk factors, with the single exception of
neuroticism. The latter is itself
likely to be contaminated by current symptoms.Conclusion. Unless these findings are due to bias in the sample
of those who agreed to participate,
they add to the evidence that symptoms of depression and to a lesser extent
of anxiety decline in
prevalence with age. Some risk factors also decline with age. It now has
to be determined if these
cross-sectional observations are also to be found in longitudinal data;
and what process may
underlie this striking change in mental health during adulthood.
Publisher
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Subject
Psychiatry and Mental health,Applied Psychology
Cited by
168 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献