Depression status and related factors of elderly victims in Chengdu and Deyang 8 months after the Wenchuan earthquake / 中国心理卫生杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective: To explore the depression stares of the elderly experienced the Wenchuan earthquake and to know the related factors. Methods: Using the convenient sampling method, 390 elderly living in Chengdu and Deyang City were included in this investigation. Demographic data was recorded and the Center for Epidemiolog-ic Studies Depression (CES-D) was applied individually. Results: In this sample, 9.8% of the elderly had sus-pected depression symptom and 30.3% had depression symptom. Depression status was related to sex, education,habitual residence, occupation and experiences in earthquake. Compared with the elderly who were males, with middle school education degree, without horrible experiences in the past, with less fearful/helpless/horrible feel-ings in earthquake, the elderly who were females (OR=2.03), with education degree below primary school (OR =2.59), with horrible experiences in the past (OR=2.06), and with strong fearful/helpless/horrible feeling in earthquake (OR=1.59), had more serious depression. Conclusion: After 8 months of Wenchuan earthquake, lo-cal elderly victims are still in severe depression. The elderly who are female, with low education level, engaged in farm work, suffered great loss should be paid special attention.