Depressive Disorder in Patients with Alzheimer’s Dementia and Their Caregivers: A Cross-Sectional
Journal of Mental Health and Aging, 4 (1):
64-68 (June 2020)Abstract
Introduction: Depression, dementia and Alzheimer's disease are the most common psychiatric
problems in the elderly. Late-onset depression in the elderly with cognitive impairment reveals a close
relationship between these two problems. The present study aimed to determine the frequency of major
depressive disorder in patients with Alzheimer’s dementia.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. Fifty patients with depression and Alzheimer's dementia
and their caregivers who had referred to Ali-Ebn-Abi-Taleb hospital neurology clinic participated in
this survey. They were diagnosed to have Alzheimer's dementia by a neurologist. Then demographic
and Beck questionnaires were completed by patients and also by caregivers to assess their mood and
depression. After that, the data were gathered and analyzed by SPSS-17. Pearson correlation coefficient,
Chi-square and exact-tests were used.
Results: The mean depression score was 21.4±9.5 that 30% had mild, 50% moderate and 20% had severe
depression. There was a significant correlation between depression score and age. Gender, occupation,
education level, marital status and place of residence did not have any significant relationship with
depression (p> 0.05). Mean caregiver depression score was 11.7± 8.3. Seventy percent had mild
depression, 26% moderate depression, and 4% had severe depression. Between caregiver’s depression
score and age, sex, occupation, education level was nota significant relationship. Correlation between
depression severity in patients and caregivers was not significant (p=0.392).
Conclusions: The prevalence of depression was high in older adults with Alzheimer's dementia. Some
levels of depression were also detected in their caregivers but this was not correlated with patient’s
depression.