Changes in depressive symptoms over age among older Americans: Differences by gender, race/ethnicity, education, and birth cohort.

ABSTRACT: Despite concerns about recent trends in the health and functioning of older Americans, little is known about dynamics of depression among recent cohorts of U.S. older adults and how these dynamics differ across sociodemographic groups. This study examined sociodemographic differences in mid- and late-life depressive symptoms over age, as well as changes over time. Using nationally representative data from the Health and Retirement Study (1994-2014), we estimated mixed effects models to generate depressive symptoms over age by gender, race/ethnicity, education, and birth cohort in 33,280 adults ages 51-90 years. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 8-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Women compared to men, low compared to high education groups, and racial/ethn

SUBMITTER: Abrams LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6476127 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature