The evaluation on effectiveness of psychological health intervention in elderly urban residents living on minimum subsistence allowances / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of psychological health intervention in the elderly urban residents living on minimum subsistence allowances, and to search for a suitable psychological health intervention strategy. Methods The 112 elderly persons living on minimum subsistence allowances in Xuzhou were selected by stratified cluster sampling, and they were matched with 112 controls. The elderly persons living on minimum subsistence allowances were divided into intervention group and control group. A general intervention based on community involved psychological health and care lecture, psychodrama treatment and psychological consultancy was made on the intervention. The SCL-90 was used to evaluate the psychological health status and effectiveness of psychological health intervention. Results The elderly persons living on minimum subsistence allowances had higher SCL-90 scores compared with other residents, and their psychological health status was serious. After the psychological health intervention, the SCL-90 scores were all lower in intervention group than in control group [ interpersonal relationship sensitiveness (1.13 ± 0. 39) vs.(1.26±0.26), t=2.12, P=0.04; gloom (1.23±0.66) vs. (1.43±0.24), t=2.08, P=0.04;anxiety (1. 18±0.50) vs. (1.38±0.34), t=2.17, P=0.03; hostility (1.24±0.49) vs. (1.40±0.28), t=2.03, P=0.04; other factor (1. 31±0.56) vs. (1.49±0.31), t=2.04, P=0.04; total score (115.89± 17.21) vs. (122.64± 10.41), t=2.42, P=0.02]. Conclusions The psychological health parameters are improved by psychological health intervention.