Prevalence of Depression in Older Adults and the Potential Protective Role of Volunteering: Findings From the LongROAD Study

Background: As the US population continues to age, depression and other mental health issues have become a significant challenge for healthy aging. Few studies, however, have examined the prevalence of depression in community-dwelling older adults in the United States.

Methods: Baseline data from the Longitudinal Research on Aging Drivers study were analyzed to examine the prevalence and correlates of depression in a multisite sample of community-dwelling adults aged 65-79 years who were enrolled and assessed between July 2015 and March 2017. The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) depression scale was used to determine the depression status.

Results: Of the 2990 study participants, 186 (6.2%) had depression at the time of assessment. Elevated prevalence of depression was found in those who were 65-69 years of age (7.9%); were women (7.2%); were not married (8.1%); had attained an education of high school or less (8.3%); or had annual household incomes less than $50,000 (10.7%). Older adults with a positive history of depression or chronic medical conditions (e.g., diabetes mellitus and anxiety) had a significantly higher prevalence of depression whereas those engaged in volunteering activities had a significantly lower prevalence of depression. With adjustment for demographic characteristics and comorbidities, volunteering was associated with a 43% reduction in the odds of depression (adjusted odds ratio: 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.40-0.81).

Conclusions: The point prevalence of depression in this multisite sample of community-dwelling older adults in the United States was 6.2%, which varied significantly with demographic characteristics and comorbid conditions. Engagement in volunteering activities might help older adults to reduce their risk of depression.