Factors Related to Depressive Symptoms Among the Elderly in Urban and Rural Areas / 農村醫學 地域保健

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to determine the levels of depression symptoms among the community elderlies and to reveal its related factors, specifically aimed at revealing psycho-social factors such as social support net-work, sense of self-esteem, state anxiety, interpersonal behavior trait and locus of control. METHODS: The interviews were performed during the period from April 1st to June 30th, 2007 to the 790 elderlies in urban and rural areas. RESULTS: The mean scores of depression (CES-D) among all subjects were 16.65+/-10.97(urban 18.81+/-10.31, rural 14.49+/-11.20) and they were higher in urban than rural. The level of depression symptoms was influenced by the variables of educational level, with or without spouse, bear for living expenses, sense of satisfaction in daily life. As for health related behaviors, they were influenced by the variables of with or without regular exercise. As for health status, they were influenced by the subjective health status, with or without disability of body, visual acuity, hearing ability, ability of food mastication, urinary incontinence, with or without help in activity of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activity of daily living (IADL). As for social support net-work and social activities, they were influenced by number of offspring, frequency of offspring contents, frequency of going out and activity of hobbies. As for psycho-social factors, they were influenced by sense of self-esteem, state anxiety and social support, especially, the level of depression symptoms was higher influenced by the variables of psycho-social factors than other variables. CONCLUSIONS: Lower of the level of depression symptoms among the community elderlies would require development and application of programs to keep under management psycho-social factors as well as looking for ways to promoting the present health status.