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Pharmacotherapy for Depression in Long-Term Care: A Real-World EHR Study
Saumur TM, Mathers KE, Ashraf H, Wagner BL.. medRxiv, 2026-03-16
Topic: Health services, long-term care and technology
Results Overall, 81.7% of residents diagnosed with depression had ≥1 pharmacological depression treatment order. Higher odds of receiving treatment were observed among residents also diagnosed with vascular dementia and those with hyperlipidemia medication orders. Lower odds were noted among residents who were Black or African American, had diabetes or hyperlipidemia diagnoses, or resided in facilities located in areas with poor socioeconomic status. These findings support the need for improved screening practices, greater attention to equity in prescribing, and strengthened clinical resources in socially vulnerable settings to enhance the quality of depression care in LTC facilities. Brief Summary Depression is common in long-term care (LTC) and is associated with poor functional and clinical outcomes, however recent treatment patterns are not well understood. Overall, 81.7% had at least one pharmacologic treatment order for depression; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (59.8%) and miscellaneous antidepressants (42.3%) were most frequently used. After adjusting for covariates, lower odds of treatment were observed among Black or African American residents and among residents in facilities located in more socioeconomically vulnerable areas. These findings highlight persistent inequities in depression pharmacotherapy in LTC and support efforts to strengthen depression assessment and ensure equitable access to evidence-informed treatment across facilities.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Saumur, T. M., Mathers, K. E., Ashraf, H., & Wagner, B. L. (2026). Pharmacotherapy for Depression in Long-Term Care: A Real-World EHR Study. medRxiv. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.03.13.26348347
Vancouver
Saumur TM, Mathers KE, Ashraf H, Wagner BL. Pharmacotherapy for Depression in Long-Term Care: A Real-World EHR Study. medRxiv. 2026. doi:10.64898/2026.03.13.26348347.
BibTeX
@article{saumur2026-96e00455,
author = {Saumur, T. M. and Mathers, K. E. and Ashraf, H. and Wagner, B. L.},
title = {{Pharmacotherapy for Depression in Long-Term Care: A Real-World EHR Study}},
journal = {medRxiv},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.64898/2026.03.13.26348347},
url = {https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.03.13.26348347}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Results Overall, 81.7% of residents diagnosed with depression had ≥1 pharmacological depression treatment order.
- Higher odds of receiving treatment were observed among residents also diagnosed with vascular dementia and those with hyperlipidemia medication orders.
- Lower odds were noted among residents who were Black or African American, had diabetes or hyperlipidemia diagnoses, or resided in facilities located in areas with poor socioeconomic status.
- These findings support the need for improved screening practices, greater attention to equity in prescribing, and strengthened clinical resources in socially vulnerable settings to enhance the quality of depression care in LTC facilities.
- Brief Summary Depression is common in long-term care (LTC) and is associated with poor functional and clinical outcomes, however recent treatment patterns are not well understood.
Study details
- Effect size81.7%; 59.8%; 42.3%
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 16/100
Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. It scored 24 on the same rubric, but non-peer-reviewed sources are capped at 16, so it shows as 16. Scored zero for study design, sample size, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 15 of the 62 points we could judge it on, which is 24 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 2 / 10 | Tier 4 — not a peer-reviewed journal (medRxiv) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Not a journal article, so the journal's record does not count |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 4 / 10 | Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. Hosted on a preprint server. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 15 / 62 | Scored on 12 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 15 of the 62 points we could judge it on is 24 out of 100. |
| Total | 24 / 100 | Capped to 16 because this is not a peer-reviewed article. |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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