Depression in older adults is estimated to occur in 25% of those with other illnesses, including cancer, arthritis, stroke, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular disease. Approximately 30% of patients report symptoms of depression to their primary care providers; however, fewer than 10% of these patients have major depression.
Documentation of depression should specify:
- Severity of depression as MILD, MODERATE, or SEVERE
- Specific type of depression, if known
- MAJOR depression
- When PSYCHOTIC FEATURES occur with SEVERE major depression
- Nervous depression and neurotic depression are both examples of a MODERATE major depressive disorder
- Both agitated depression and endogenous depression are types of SEVERE major depression
- MAJOR depression
- The frequency of symptomatic major depression
- Is this the first episode e.g., SINGLE EPISODE
- Is there is a history of major depression with more than one symptomatic episode e.g., “RECURRENT”
- The persistence of symptoms defined as PARTIAL REMISSION or FULL REMISSION, g., not currently experiencing a depression episode
Examples of complete documentation include:
- Single episode of major depression with mood-incongruent psychotic symptoms
- Single episode of major depression in full remission
- Recurrent episodes of major depression
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