WORKING P A P E R Quality Indicators for the Care of Depression in Vulnerable Elders GENE A. NAKAJIMA NEIL S. WENGER WR-177 August 2004 This product is part of the RAND Health working paper series. RAND working papers are intended to share researchers’ latest findings and to solicit informal peer review. They have been approved for circulation by RAND Health but have not been formally edited or peer reviewed. Unless otherwise indicated, working papers can be quoted and cited without permission of the author, provided the source is clearly referred to as a working paper. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. is a registered trademark. QUALITY INDICATORS FOR THE CARE OF DEPRESSION IN VULNERABLE ELDERS Gene A. Nakajima, MD1 and Neil S. Wenger, MD, MPH2 From 1The Center for Special Problems, San Francisco, CA, and the 2Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, and RAND, Santa Monica, CA This study was supported by a contract from Pfizer Inc. to RAND. Address correspondence to: Gene Nakajima, MD Center for Special Problems 1700 Jackson St. San Francisco, CA 94109 Telephone (415) 292-1554 Fax (415) 292-2030 e-mail:
[email protected] Number of words: 4,200 Number of tables: 1 INTRODUCTION Depression is common. The point prevalence for major depressive disorder is 2.3-3.2% among men and 4.5-9.3% among women.(1) The prevalence of depression among the elderly is lower than among the general population.(2) Studies of patients receiving primary care demonstrate