Published Online
on September 28, 2006

A more recent version of this article appeared on November 1, 2006

This Article Full Text (PDF) CME: Take the course for this article: Stroke: November 2006, Volume 37, Number 11 All Versions of this Article: 37/11/2854    most recent 01.STR.0000244806.05099.52v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Paul, S. L. Articles by Thrift, A. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Paul, S. L. Articles by Thrift, A. G. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Antidepressants Stroke Related Collections Health policy and outcome research Behavioral/psychosocial - stroke Other Stroke Treatment - Medical

Submitted on June 14, 2006
Accepted on July 7, 2006

Prevalence of Depression and Use of Antidepressant Medication at 5-Years Poststroke in the North East Melbourne Stroke Incidence Study

Seana L. Paul BSc (Hons)^*; Helen M. Dewey PhD; Jonathan W. Sturm PhD; Richard A.L. Macdonell MD; and Amanda G. Thrift PhD

From the National Stroke Research Institute (S.L.P., H.M.D., J.W.S., A.G.T.), Austin Health, Heidelberg Heights, Victoria, Australia; the Department of Medicine (S.L.P., H.M.D., R.A.L.M., A.G.T.), University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia; the Neurology Department (H.M.D., R.A.L.M., A.G.T.), Austin Health, Heidelberg, Australia; Gosford Hospital and the University of Newcastle (J.W.S.), Newcastle, Australia; and the Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine (A.G.T.), Monash University, Monash, Australia.

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: seana.paul{at}utas.edu.au.

Background and Purpose--There are few data on the prevalence or treatment of depression from unselected populations long-term poststroke. We assessed the prevalence of depression and antidepressant use at 5-years poststroke in an unselected stroke population.

Methods--Five-year survivors from a prospective community-based stroke incidence study were assessed for depression with the Irritability, Depression and Anxiety Scale. Medications indicated primarily for treatment of depression were recorded.

Results--At 5-years poststroke, 441 (45%) of 978 incident cases were alive (mean age=74±15 years, 49% female). Seventeen percent of those assessed were depressed. Twenty-two percent with depression were taking an antidepressant medication. Of those taking an antidepressant, 72% were not depressed.

Conclusions--Although nearly one-fifth of survivors were depressed, few were taking antidepressants. Further exploration of this low level of treatment is warranted.

Key words: depression • epidemiology • psych and behavior • treatment

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