A Scottish survey of attitudes to depression in older and younger adults

Abstract

Background: It is commonly found that the general public hold negative attitudes towards depression. Few surveys have examined differences between younger and older adults attitudes towards depression. Method: Out of a sample of 467 adults, 269 completed a questionnaire in response to a vignette describing a depressed person who was either portrayed as aged 30 or 70 years. Fifty-five per cent of the sample consisted of adults over the age of 65 years and 45% were under the age of 65 years. Results: Four themes emerged from responses to the questionnaire: 'recognition of depression as a mental illness', 'acceptability of depression', 'benefit of medical intervention for depression' and, 'familiarity of problems associated with depression'. Some differences were found between younger and older adult's attitudes to depression per se. In addition, depression in an older adult was viewed differently from depression in a younger adult. Conclusions: Although some positive attitudes to depression were found, ageist and stigmatising attitudes were also found to exist among older and younger adults. Declaration of interest: None.