Associations between depressive symptom clusters and care utilization and costs among community-dwelling older adults.

Shiyu LuYan ZhangTianyin Liu Dara Kiu Yi LeungWai-Wai KwokHao LuoJennifer TangGloria Hoi-Yan Wong Terry Yat-Sang Lum

Published in: International journal of geriatric psychiatry (2021)

Our findings highlight the importance of understanding economic impacts on care utilization based on symptom profiles with a particular emphasis on symptom combinations. Policymakers should optimize care allocation based on older adults' depressive symptom profiles rather than simply considering their depression sum-score or the severity defined by cut-off points.

Keyphrases

healthcare
palliative care
quality improvement
patient reported
bipolar disorder
depressive symptoms
sleep quality
chronic pain