Burns, RichardLuszcz, Mary A.Kiely, Kim M.Butterworth, PeterBrowning, ColetteMitchell, PaulAnstey, Kaarin2013-11-282014-07-091041-61021741-203Xhttp://hdl.handle.net/1885/10881BACKGROUND: Gender differences in depression are well established. Whether these differences persist into late life and in the years preceding death is less clear. There is a suggestion that there is no increased likelihood of depression in late life, but that there is an increase in depressive symptomology, particularly with proximity to death. We compared trajectories of probable depression and depressive symptomology between men and women over age and distance-to-death metrics to determine whether reports of depressive symptoms are more strongly related to age or mortality. METHODS: Participants (N = 2,852) from the Dynamic Analyses to Optimise Ageing (DYNOPTA) project had a mean age of 75 years (SD = 5.68 years) at baseline and were observed for up to 16 years prior to death. Multi-level regression models estimated change in depressive symptomology and probable depression over two time metrics, increasing age, and distance-to-death. RESULTS: Increases in depressive symptomology were reported over increasing age and in the years approaching death. Only male participants reported increased probable depression in the years preceding death. Models that utilized distance-to-death metrics better represented changes in late-life depression, although any changes in depression appear to be accounted for by co-varying physical health status. CONCLUSIONS: As death approaches, there are increases in the levels of depressive symptomology even after controlling for socio-demographic and health covariates. In line with increases in suicide rates in late life, male participants were at greater risk of reporting increases in depressive symptomology.NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia)9 pageshttp://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/1041-6102/ Author can archive pre-print and post-print. Publisher's version/PDF may be archived after 12 month embargo period. Pre-print to record acceptance for publication. Publisher copyright and source must be acknowledged with set statement, for deposit of Authors Post-print or Publisher's version/PDF. Must link to publisher version. Authors version may be deposited immediately on acceptance. Permission (not to be unreasonably withheld) needs to be sought if the author is at a different institution to when the article was originally published - from SHERPA/RoMEO site ( as at 24/9/13). © International Psychogeriatric Association 2013agingdepressionmortalityself-rated healthsub-syndromal depression2013-07-0910.1017/S10416102130010992015-12-09