Quality of life in elderly patients with recurrent major depression: a factor analysis of the General Life Functioning Scale.

Quality of life profiles measured by the General Life Functioning (GLF) Scale were examined in elderly patients with recurrent major depression, before and during combined treatment with nortriptyline and interpersonal psychotherapy. The study group included 110 patients, 91 recovered and 19 nonrecovered, aged 60 to 80 years, suffering from at least their second lifetime episode of major depression. Repeated measures analysis of covariance (with Hamilton and Beck depression scores as time-dependent covariates) was used to compare the temporal course of overall GLF scores for the recovered and the nonrecovered groups. Factor analysis was used to examine whether the GLF Scale yielded an overall score and measured specific aspects of well-being and coping. There were significant differences in the overall GLF scores between recovered and nonrecovered patients, with the differences increasing from week 8 of treatment onward. Analysis revealed significant improvements in quality of life, as measured by overall GLF scores, over the course of treatment in both recovered and nonrecovered patients. Even when changes in Hamilton and Beck depression ratings were controlled for in the statistical analysis, improvements in GLF scores were found to be greater in recovered than in nonrecovered patients. Thus, the GLF measures more than change in level of depression. Its overall score also has high internal reliability.