Fully 59.3% of individuals experienced depression in their last month alive, according to a new study. More attention should be paid to the problem, with a focus on non-pharmacological care, say the authors.
The interview-based study included more than 3,200 participants. Among those who reported depression, symptoms increased gradually from 12 to four months before death and then escalated between four to one months before death.
“Psychological symptoms are important to address throughout the lifespan, but especially in the context of serious or chronic illness in order to reduce suffering and distress and help individuals experience a ‘good death,'” concluded lead author Elissa Kozlov, Ph.D., of the Rutgers Institute for Health.
Individuals with cancer reported escalating rates of depressive symptoms at the very end of life. And individuals with lung disease and impairments in activities of daily living demonstrated persistently high rates throughout the year preceding death, reported Kozlov and colleagues.
Based on the findings, Kozlov recommends that more research and policy work address the lack of skilled geriatric and end-of-life mental health providers and limited reimbursement structure for psychological care. “[There are] gaps in adapting and disseminating evidence-based non-pharmacological interventions for adults with limited life expectancies,” she concluded.
The study was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
