8. Conclusions
This study used a prospective cohort design and a community-based sample to show that life event stress, both singly and in combination, was associated with change in depressive symptoms among the elderly. These effects persisted after controlling for baseline depressive symptoms, age, socioeconomic conditions, developmental and social factors, alcohol consumption, medical history and physical health status. Studies of this kind were important in order to have better understanding in the psychosocial factors that might play a role in the etiology of mental disorders.