@article {8931, title = {Depression, antidepressant medications, and risk of Clostridium difficile infection.}, journal = {BMC Medicine}, volume = {11}, year = {2013}, month = {2013 May 07}, pages = {121}, abstract = {

BACKGROUND: An ancillary finding in previous research has suggested that the use of antidepressant medications increases the risk of developing Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Our objective was to evaluate whether depression or the use of anti-depressants altered the risk of developing CDI, using two distinct datasets and study designs.

METHODS: In Study 1, we conducted a longitudinal investigation of a nationally representative sample of older Americans (n = 16,781), linking data from biennial interviews to physician and emergency department visits, stays in hospital and skilled nursing facilities, home health visits, and other outpatient visits. In Study 2, we completed a clinical investigation of hospitalized adults who were tested for C. difficile (n = 4047), with cases testing positive and controls testing negative. Antidepressant medication use prior to testing was ascertained.

RESULTS: The population-based rate of CDI in older Americans was 282.9/100,000 person-years (95\% confidence interval (CI)) 226.3 to 339.5) for individuals with depression and 197.1/100,000 person-years for those without depression (95\% CI 168.0 to 226.1). The odds of CDI were 36\% greater in persons with major depression (95\% CI 1.06 to 1.74), 35\% greater in individuals with depressive disorders (95\% CI 1.05 to 1.73), 54\% greater in those who were widowed (95\% CI 1.21 to 1.95), and 25\% lower in adults who did not live alone (95\% CI 0.62 to 0.92). Self-reports of feeling sad or having emotional, nervous or psychiatric problems at baseline were also associated with the later development of CDI. Use of certain antidepressant medications during hospitalization was associated with altered risk of CDI.

CONCLUSIONS: Adults with depression and who take specific anti-depressants seem to be more likely to develop CDI. Older adults who are widowed or who live alone are also at greater risk of CDI.

}, keywords = {Antidepressants, Clostridium, Depressive symptoms, Infection, Older Adults}, issn = {1741-7015}, doi = {10.1186/1741-7015-11-121}, author = {Mary A M Rogers and M. Todd Greene and Vincent B Young and Sanjay Saint and Kenneth M. Langa and John Y Kao and David M. Aronoff} } @article {6791, title = {Informal caregiving time and costs for urinary incontinence in older individuals in the United States.}, journal = {J Am Geriatr Soc}, volume = {50}, year = {2002}, month = {2002 Apr}, pages = {733-7}, publisher = {50}, abstract = {

OBJECTIVES: To obtain nationally representative estimates of the additional time, and related cost, of informal caregiving associated with urinary incontinence in older individuals.

DESIGN: Multivariate regression models using data from the 1993 Asset and Health Dynamics Study, a nationally representative survey of people aged 70 and older (N = 7,443).

SETTING: Community-dwelling older people.

PARTICIPANTS: National population-based sample of community-dwelling older people.

MEASUREMENTS: Weekly hours of informal caregiving, and imputed cost of caregiver time, for community-dwelling older people who reported (1) no unintended urine loss, (2) incontinence that did not require the use of absorbent pads, and (3) incontinence that required the use of absorbent pads.

RESULTS: Thirteen percent of men and 24\% of women reported incontinence. After adjusting for sociodemographics, living situation, and comorbidities, continent men received 7.4 hours per week of care, incontinent men who did not use pads received 11.3 hours, and incontinent men who used pads received 16.6 hours (P <.001). Women in these groups received 5.9, 7.6, and 10.7 hours (P <.001), respectively. The additional yearly cost of informal care associated with incontinence was $1,700 and $4,000 for incontinent men who did not and did use pads, respectively, whereas, for women in these groups, the additional yearly cost was $700 and $2,000. Overall, this represents a national annual cost of more than $6 billion for incontinence-related informal care.

CONCLUSIONS: The quantity of informal caregiving for older people with incontinence and its associated economic cost are substantial. Future analyses of the costs of incontinence, and the cost-effectiveness of interventions to prevent or treat incontinence, should consider the significant informal caregiving costs associated with this condition.

}, keywords = {Aged, Caregivers, Comorbidity, Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic, Female, Humans, Incontinence Pads, Male, Regression Analysis, Time Factors, United States, Urinary incontinence}, issn = {0002-8614}, doi = {10.1046/j.1532-5415.2002.50170.x}, author = {Kenneth M. Langa and Fultz, Nancy H. and Sanjay Saint and Mohammed U Kabeto and A. Regula Herzog} }