The Effects of Chronic Diseases, Sleep and Serotonin Concentration on Depression among Elderly People Living in the Community

ABSTRACT

Purpose@#This study identified the effects of chronic disease number, quality of sleep and, serum serotonin concentration on the elderly’s depression in order to provide basic data for the development of intervention program to effectively prevent and manage depression of the elderly living in the community. @*Methods@#The study surveyed 207 people aged 65 or older living in the community. The general characteristics of the subjects, the number of chronic diseases, the quality of sleep (PSQI-K), the hematological test (Serotonin) and the depression (K-GDS) were statistically analyzed using SPSS/WIN 23.0. @*Results@#It was shown that the elderly’s depression differed significantly depending on the number of chronic diseases, the quality of sleep, and serum serotonin concentration, and that the variable that most affected depression was the quality of sleep. Next, the number of chronic diseases and serum serotonin levels were the variables affecting the depression of the elderly. Conclusion: In order to prevent and manage the depression of the elderly in the future, treatment and education for diseases and depression should be provided to the subjects. In particular, nursing interventions are needed to improve the quality of sleep for the elderly. Health care programs should also be provided, such as providing nutritional supplements to provide serotonin and increasing daytime activities.