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Association Between Serum Vitamin D Levels and Depression Among Elderly: Determination of an Optimal Cut-off Value Using ROC Analysis
Abstract
Major depressive disorder adversely affects psychological well-being and is marked by persistent low mood and loss of interest in previously pleasurable activities. Depression prevalence varies across countries, with reported rates of 33.8% in Indonesia, 30.3% in Japan, and 17.2% in Vietnam. This study aimed to identify a vitamin D threshold associated with depression prevention in older adults. Using a cross-sectional design, the study was conducted at Panti Bina Bhakti and included 93 participants aged 60 years and above. Serum vitamin D levels were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while depressive symptoms were assessed with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). The findings revealed a significant association between lower vitamin D concentrations and greater severity of depressive symptoms. ROC analysis identified a serum vitamin D threshold of 9 ng/mL associated with the presence of depression. This threshold yielded an AUC of 0.729 (p = 0.003), with a sensitivity of 21.1% and a specificity of 49.1%. These results suggest that vitamin D deficiency is common among the elderly and that higher vitamin D levels were associated with lower depression prevalence. Despite identifying a potential threshold, this study has limitations, including its cross-sectional design and the absence of randomized controlled trials to establish a causal effect of vitamin D supplementation on depression risk.
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.33024/jmm.v10i2.24848
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