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Objectives: To examine the demographic correlates of lifetime and 12-month prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) among older African Americans, Black Caribbeans, and non-Hispanic Whites. Methods: Data are from adults aged 55 years and older ( n = 1439) recruited to the National Survey of American Life (NSAL; 2001-2003). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Version IV World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview was used to assess the 12-month and lifetime MDD. Weighted logistic regression was used to model demographic correlates of MDD. Results: The population prevalence of lifetime and 12-month MDD were 11.2% and 4.1%, respectively. Bivariate analyses revealed that younger respondents and those with greater disability had a higher prevalence of both lifetime and 12-month MDD compared with those who were older and who had lower disability. Multivariable logistic regressions controlling for demographic characteristics revealed that non-Hispanic Whites had the greatest odds of lifetime MDD (OR = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.32, 3.93). Women had significantly greater odds of lifetime MDD compared with men (OR = 2.49, 95% CI = 1.14, 5.41); there were no gender differences in 12-month MDD. Other significant predictors of MDD were marital status and region of residence. Conclusions: The distribution, correlates, and nature of associations with MDD vary as a function of whether we examined lifetime vs. 12-month MDD. Future work should account for within group differences among older adults with depression. Understanding MDD correlates and the nature of intergroup diversity can inform the identification of particularly vulnerable subgroups as well as appropriate treatment approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The purpose of this study is to estimate lifetime prevalence of seven psychiatric affective disorders for older non-Hispanic White people, African Americans, Caribbean Black people, Latinos, and Asian Americans and examine demographic, socioeconomic, and immigration correlates of those disorders. Design Data are taken from the older sub-sample of the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys. Selected measures of lifetime DSM-IV psychiatric disorders were examined (i.e., panic disorder, agoraphobia, social phobia, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, major depressive disorder, and dysthymia). Setting Community epidemiologic survey. Participants Nationally representative sample of adults 55 years and older ( n = 3046). Measurements Disorders were assessed using the DSM-IV World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Results Major depressive disorder and social phobia were the two most prevalent disorders among the seven psychiatric conditions. Overall, non-Hispanic White people and Latinos consistently had higher prevalence rates of disorders, African Americans had lower prevalence of major depression and dysthymia, and Asian Americans were typically less likely to report affective disorders than those of their counterparts. There is variation across groups in the association of demographic, socioeconomic, and immigration variables with disorders. Conclusions This study furthers our understanding of the racial and ethnic differences in the prevalence of DSM-IV disorders among older adults and the correlates of those disorders. It highlights the importance of examining both between-group and within-group differences in disorders and the complexity of the mechanisms associated with differences across groups. Findings from this study underscore the need for future research that more clearly delineates subgroup differences and similarities. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]