How Does Physical Health Influence Depression Risk in Older Adults?

The prevalence of physical and mental comorbidity increases with age. People with chronic physical health conditions are more likely to have mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, and vice versa.

The project

This project will investigate the link(s) between physical health (e.g., heart problems) and mental health (e.g., depression/low mood) in older people.  

It will examine whether, over recent years, there has been an increase in older adults being diagnosed with depression. It will look at which physical health conditions make someone more likely to develop depression in later life; and whether social or economic factors (such as where a person lives) influence whether a person will suffer from both physical health problems and depression in later life. 

The process

Dr Ball and her team will use population-wide health data from Scotland and Wales. Electronic health records are routinely collected when a person interacts with clinical services, for example, when they are admitted to hospital, or are prescribed medications. Linked health records are therefore a useful resource for following up populations of patients to understand which physical health conditions, and prescribed medications, are associated with an increased risk of developing depression. 

The potential

If we can understand which physical illnesses make someone more likely to become depressed, we could target support to those most at risk and help them to make changes to prevent them from developing depression.