Table 1.
Participant characteristics according to depression status
| Characteristic | No depression n = 288 | MDD and/or CES-D ≥ 16 n = 92 | Difference p-valuea |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean ± SD | |||
| Age | 71.6 ± 4.5 | 71.6 ± 4.2 | 0.987 |
| % | |||
| Female | 52.4 | 78.3 | < 0.001 |
| Higher (≥12 years) education level | 39.6 | 25.0 | 0.011 |
| Living alone | 18.4 | 38.0 | < 0.001 |
| Regular alcohol consumption (>24 g/day) | 22.6 | 15.2 | 0.141 |
| Current smoking (>10 pack years) | 37.5 | 32.6 | 0.421 |
| Functional impairmentb | 1.4 | 4.3 | 0.085 |
| Cognitive impairmentc | 3.5 | 14.1 | < 0.001 |
| Cardiovascular diseased | 12.5 | 7.6 | 0.197 |
| Other reported health conditions or related treatmentse | 13.9 | 8.7 | 0.192 |
| Obese (BMI ≥ 30) | 6.3 | 10.9 | 0.140 |
| Antidepressant usef | 1.7 | 10.9 | < 0.001 |
aCalculated from a chi squared test, except for age where a t-test was used
bUnable to independently complete ≥2 items on the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, or the Activities of Daily Living scales
cMini-Mental State Examination score < 24
dAngina pectoris, myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiovascular surgery, arteritis
eHypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes, thyroid problems, asthma, recent cancer diagnosis or cardiovascular disease
fAccording to the World Health Organisation’s ATC classification, with just over half being selective serotonin receptor inhibitors (SSRIs)