Depressive symptoms, alone or together with physical comorbidity, are predictive of healthcare use and spending in older adults

Objective: Depressive symptoms and physical comorbidity are common health problems in older adults and are both posing increasingly considerable challenges to global healthcare systems. This study investigated the relationships of depressive symptoms, alone or together with physical comorbidity, with healthcare utilization and spending among older adults, as well as examined sex differences.

Methods: We used data of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from 2011 to 2018 and enrolled 6519 participants. Depressive symptoms was operationalized following the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and physical comorbidity was assessed according to the presence of 11 physical non-communicable diseases. The relationships of depressive symptoms and comorbidity with healthcare outcomes were examined using mixed-effects regression models.

Results: Compared with the neither depressive symptoms nor physical comorbidity category, older adults classified as depressive symptoms-only, physical comorbidity-only or both conditions were all associated with elevated risks for healthcare use and spending (all OR/IRR > 1; all p < 0.001). Depressive symptoms and physical comorbidity in combination consistently led to higher risks for studied endpoints than either condition alone (outpatient visit: OR = 3.50, outpatient visit number: IRR = 3.39, inpatient visit: OR = 3.35, hospitalization days: IRR = 2.82, catastrophic health expenditure: OR = 1.70; all p-trend < 0.001). Stratification analyses revealed similar relationships irrespective of sex.

Conclusion: Depressive symptoms and physical comorbidity are separately and jointly associated with increased healthcare utilization and spending among Chinese older adults. These two conditions in combination lead to highest risks than either condition alone. Early screen for depressive symptoms, alone or together with physical comorbidity, may offer implications for appropriate policy interventions.