A Comparison
A Comparison of Depressional Status and Associated Factors among Residents of Geriatric Homes and Elderly Attending Outpatient Clinics in Suburban Community
Geriatric Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing Damanhour University
Abstract: Introduction: Depression is a major cause of morbidity worldwide. Depression as a medical illness, the person feels with sadness, discomfort and lack of self-confidence. It can also be a sign of medical problem. According to the census survey 2006 of elderly in Egypt, ageing 60 years and more, constitutes 6% of total population. The depression risk factors increase with ageing. Aim of the study is to assess the prevalence of depressional status among elderly living in geriatric homes and those attending the outpatient clinics to detect the underlying associated factors of depression. Methods and Subject: Descriptive a cross-sectional study to compare the depressional status and the associated factors among the elderly residents of in institution and the elderly patients attending the outpatient clinics at Damanhur National Medical Institute of El-Behaira Governorate, Egypt. It also looked into associated factors for elderly depression, using socio-demographic characteristics and associated medical questionnaires. The sample size was 100 elderly aged 60 years and above, half of the study sample participants were from geriatric homes and another half from outpatients attending the outpatient clinics. Results: The study postulates that depression is common in institutional settings. The age groups more than 65 years were 2.1 fold higher among institutionalized residents than non-institutionalized participants. Among the socio-demographic factors only having no children and monthly income showed significant differences between the groups of the two studied settings. The most common associated chronic diseases with depression, were diabetes alone, hypertension alone and both diabetes and hypertension combined, with a significance of (P = 0.04). Both suggested and indicated depression collectively, accounted 90% of the depressed participants of in institution versus 74% for those outpatient individuals. Conclusion: depression among elderly is one of the most public health problems. The depressive symptoms are high among Egyptian elderly population especially those over 65 years and with chronic diseases, and inadequacy of monthly income, as well as among those live alone or having no children. Evaluating sub threshold depressive symptoms as suggested depression among institutionalized residents will help in better treatment and adjusting better lifestyle for elderly at care homes.
[Samia Kattab Abd El-Rahman. A Comparison of Depressional Status and Associated Factors among Residents of Geriatric Homes and Elderly Attending Outpatient Clinics in Suburban Community. J Am Sci 2013;9(6):327-337]. (ISSN: 1545-1003). http://www.jofamericanscience.org. 38
Keywords: Depressional status, associated factors, geriatric homes, suburban elderly Full Text 38
