Health services use for mental health problems by community-living seniors with depression.

Background: The literature on health services (HS) use for mental health problems by community-living seniors with depression is sparse. This study aimed to characterize patterns of HS use for mental health problems by seniors with depressive disorders and symptoms during the previous 12 months.

Method: The study used data from the Canadian Community Health Survey Cycle 1.2: Mental Health and Well-Being (N = 7736). Information was collected on demographic, social, mental, physical and functional variables and HS use for mental health problems. We obtained simple univariate and bivariate descriptions of the data and developed multivariate predictive models for each of the HS utilization variables.

Results: Rates of any HS use for mental health problems ranged from 1.8% for those with no depressive symptoms to 31.1% for those with major depression. Variables predicting increased HS use were: depressive disorder or symptoms, clinically significant distress or impairment, age 65-84, single, post-secondary education, religiousness, disability, co-morbid mental disorder and fewer friends and positive social interactions. Variables predicting HS use among depressed seniors were physical health, psychiatric co-morbidity and activity limitation.

Conclusion: Community-living seniors with major depression, co-morbid major depression and depressive symptoms were more likely to use psychiatrist, family physician, other professional and self-help services for mental health problems but less than a third actually did so.