For 3 reasons, depressive disorders in the elderly are becoming one of the most frequent clinical situations challenging health care professionals. First, people aged 65 years and over represent the fastest-growing population in Canada. Their numbers rose by almost 60% between 1981 and 1998, reaching a total of 3.7 million (for Health Canada 2003 statistics, see www.hc-sc.gc.ca/seniors-aines). Second, the prevalence rate of major depression in the elderly ranges from 1% to 4% in the community (1); the rate rises to 10% to 30% in elderly medical inpatients (2). Third, major depression in many elderly individuals is a chronic disorder characterized by recovery and recurrence. A recent study confirmed that elderly subjects suffer from more rapid recurrence than younger patients, with a median time to recurrence of 90 weeks in the group aged 65 to 79 years (3).

Link: www.cpa-apc.org