Late-life depression

We live in an aging world. Illnesses that are prevalent and cause significant morbidity and mortality in older people will consume an increasing share of health care resources. One such illness is depression. This illness has a particularly devastating impact in the elderly because it is often undiagnosed or inadequately treated. Depression not only has a profound impact on quality of life but it is associated with an increased risk of mortality from suicide and vascular disease. In fact for every medical illness studied, e.g. heart disease, diabetes, cancer, individuals who are depressed have.

Contributors -- Introduction -- PART I: EPIDEMIOLOGY AND THE BURDEN OF ILLNESS -- 1. The Epidemiology of Depressive Disorders in Late Life -- Case Identification -- Prevalence, Incidence, and Distribution -- Prognosis -- Historical Trends -- Use of Psychiatric Services -- 2. The Social and Financial Burden of Late-Life Depression to Society and Individuals -- Mortality -- Co-Morbidity and Disability -- Health-Care Service and Resource Use -- Suicide and Late-Life Depression -- PART II: THE PHENOMENOLOGY AND DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF LATE-LIFE MOOD DISORDERS.

3. Unipolar Depression -- Diagnosing Late-Life Depression -- Other Syndromes of Late-Life Depression -- Assessment -- Course and Consequences of Late-Life Depression -- Medical Co-Morbidity -- Cognitive Impairment Disorders -- Disability -- Suicide -- Barriers to Effective Recognition and Treatment of Geriatric Unipolar Depression -- 4. Bipolar Disorders -- Historical Perspective -- Diagnosis -- Differential Diagnosis of Mania in Late Life -- Epidemiology -- Pathophysiology and Etiology -- Features of Episodes: Psychopathology and Its Assessment -- Cognitive Impairment.

Function/Behavioral Disability -- Course of Illness: Ch…