Comprehensive geriatric assessment is associated with increased antidepressant treatment in frail older people with unplanned hospital admissions—results from the randomised controlled study CGA-Swed

BACKGROUND: Frail older people are at higher risk of further deterioration if their needs are not acknowledged when they are acutely ill and admitted to hospital. Mental health comprises one area of needs assessment. AIMS: The aims of this study were threefold: to investigate the prevalence of depression in frail hospital patients, to identify factors associated with depression, and to compare depression management in patients receiving and not receiving Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA). METHODS: This secondary analysis from the CGA-Swed randomized control trial included 155 frail older people aged 75 years and above. Instruments included Montgomery Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), the ICE Capability measure for older people (ICECAP-O) and the Fugl-Meyer Life Satisfaction scale (Fugl-Meyer Lisat). Depression was broadly defined as MADRS score ≥ 7. Regression models were used to identify variables associated with depression and to compare groups with and without the CGA intervention. RESULTS: The prevalence of a MADRS score indicating depression at baseline was 60.7%. The inability to do things that make one feel valued (ICECAP-O) was associated with a fourfold increase in depression (OR 4.37, CI 1.50–12.75, p = 0.007). There was a two-fold increase in odds of receiving antidepressant medication in the CGA intervention group (OR 2.33, CI 1.15–4.71, p = 0.019) compared to patients in the control group who received regular medical care. CONCLUSION: Symptoms of depression were common among frail older people with unplanned hospital admission. Being unable to do things that make one feel valued was associated with depression. People who received CGA intervention had higher odds of receiving antidepressant treatment, suggesting that CGA improves recognition of mental health needs during unplanned hospital admissions in frail older people. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02773914. Retrospectively registered 16 May 2016.