Table 3.
Decrease in Quality-adjusted Life Years (QALY) throughout remainder of lifetime due to Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and to Mild Depression, U.S. Adults Aged 65 Years and Older
| PHQ-9 score | Depression severity categories | Number | QALYa | S.E. | Lossb | S.E. | % Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–9 | No MDD | 3,357 | 12.7 | 1.1 | Ref | - | - |
| 10–27 | MDDc | 173 | 4.4 | 0.9 | 8.3 | 1.2 | 65% |
| Subcategories of MDD | |||||||
| 10–14 | Moderate | 122 | 4.7 | 0.7 | 8.0 | 1.1 | 63% |
| 15–27 | Moderately severe/severe | 51 | 3.3 | 1.3 | 9.4 | 1.6 | 74% |
| 0–4 | None-minimal | 2,863 | 14.0 | 1.4 | Ref | - | - |
| 5–9 | Mild depression | 494 | 7.8 | 1.0 | 6.2 | 1.3 | 44% |
| 5–27 | Mild depression or MDD | 667 | 6.5 | 0.8 | 7.5 | 1.3 | 54% |
a Quality-adjusted life years (QALY) throughout remainder of lifetime, adjusted for age and sex in subgroups
b Decrease in QALY for higher levels depressive symptoms vs. lower level depressive symptoms
c Major depressive disorder (MDD)