Factor structure of the Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II) with Puerto Rican elderly

The Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition (BDI-II; (1) is one of the most useful measures for depressive symptomatology in many countries (2). The psychometric properties of this inventory, however, have not been reported with Puerto Rican elderly. This paper reports, exploratory psychometric results with a sample of 410 elderly Puerto Rican (65 years and older; men=94, women=316). The assessment of the construct validity of the BDI-II yielded four factors accounting for 52of total variance and an internal reliability coefficient (alpha Cronbach) of .89. A factor analysis with the 21 items of the BDI-II was performed using principal component analysis as the extraction method and Varimax rotation. This analysis revealed that the BDI-II was a good measure of the dimensions of depressive symptomatology in the present sample, which resembled prior findings reported with the general Puerto Rican Population (3). This study also reports further data supporting the reliability, validity, and practical utility of the BDI-II for the Puerto Rican population including elders. Implications for potential research with minorities and clinical uses of the BDI-II are also discussed.

Apoyo social, actividad y salud en ancianos / Social support, activity, and health among the elderly

The present study examined the relationship between social support, activity level and physical health among a sample of 96 Puerto Rican elderly persons. The Spanish version of the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (ISSB28) was used to assess social support. Two structured questionnaires were administered to obtain measures of activity level and physical health. A multiple correlation-regression analysis was performed, and partial correlation coefficients were also obtained. A partial correlation of .48 (p < .001) was observed between the ISSB scores and the measure of physical health, indicating a direct relationship between poor health and social support. This finding is inconsistent with previous studies, which suggest that better health is associated with higher levels of social support. Moderate-low, negative correlations were found between activity level and 3 indicators of poor health. Thus, higher activity levels were associated with better physical health. For example, partial correlations of-.31 (p = .003) and -.29 (p = .007), respectively, were found between the activity level and the number and length of hospital stays. The correlation between the amount of surgical interventions undergone by the patient during the previous year and the activity level was -.28 (p = .009). These findings demonstrate that higher levels of activity are associated with better physical health in elderly persons, as indicated by less frequent and shorter hospital stays, and lower frequency of surgical interventions. Several multiple regression analyses showed that social support and activity level, taken together, are statistically significant predictors of the number and length of hospital stays, and the number of surgical interventions undergone by the elderly patient. Together, these two factors explain from 11 to 18% of the variability in several indicators of physical health

Estudio piloto sobre la ideación suicida en ancianos puertorriqueños en un Hospital de Salud Mental / Pilot study of suicidal ideation among elderly Puerto Ricans in a mental health hospital

This is one of the first descriptive-explorative studies done about suicidal thoughts in aging patients (age mean 60.7) within a mental health hospital in Puerto Rico. The purpose of this study was to identify common characteristics found in elderly patients that present suicidal thought and were hospitalized from January to June. The major finding indicates a great prevalence rate in men who were divorced, catholic, with a diagnosis on the axis I of the DSM IV and who had a previous history of such thoughts. In order to obtain a more comprehensive profile of the elderly patient with suicidal thoughts we suggest more research concerning this issue. Such investigations could be used in the prevention of elderly suicide

[Depression among elderly patients with and without apoplexy or amputations, who receive physical rehabilitation treatment: a pilot study in Puerto Rico]. / Depresión en ancianos con y sin apoplejía(s) cerebral(es) o amputación(es) que reciben tratamiento de rehabilitación fisica: un estudio piloto en Puerto Rico.

The purpose of this study is to see if these are significant statistical differences in the levels of depression in elderly with and without stroke or amputation that receive physical rehabilitation treatment. The total number of participants were 104 elderly distributed in four (4) groups (52 women and 52 men). All participants were presented with the Beck's Depression Questionnaire to measure the level of depression. Responses were analyzed by means of using the Variations Analysis. Significant differences in depression were evident within the stroke(s) and amputation elderly population. The group of higher depression level is that of elderly with strokes that received physical rehabilitation.

[Pilot study of suicidal ideation among elderly Puerto Ricans in a mental health hospital]. / Estudio piloto sobre la ideación suicida en ancianos puertorriqueños en un Hospital de Salud Mental.

This is one of the first descriptive-explorative studies done about suicidal thoughts in aging patients (age mean 60.7) within a mental health hospital in Puerto Rico. The purpose of this study was to identify common characteristics found in elderly patients that present suicidal thought and were hospitalized from January to June. The major finding indicates a great prevalence rate in men who were divorced, catholic, with a diagnosis on the axis I of the DSM IV and who had a previous history of such thoughts. In order to obtain a more comprehensive profile of the elderly patient with suicidal thoughts we suggest more research concerning this issue. Such investigations could be used in the prevention of elderly suicide.

[Social support, activity, and health among the elderly]. / Apoyo social, actividad y salud en ancianos.

The present study examined the relationship between social support, activity level and physical health among a sample of 96 Puerto Rican elderly persons. The Spanish version of the Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (ISSB28) was used to assess social support. Two structured questionnaires were administered to obtain measures of activity level and physical health. A multiple correlation-regression analysis was performed, and partial correlation coefficients were also obtained. A partial correlation of .48 (p < .001) was observed between the ISSB scores and the measure of physical health, indicating a direct relationship between poor health and social support. This finding is inconsistent with previous studies, which suggest that better health is associated with higher levels of social support. Moderate-low, negative correlations were found between activity level and 3 indicators of poor health. Thus, higher activity levels were associated with better physical health. For example, partial correlations of-.31 (p = .003) and -.29 (p = .007), respectively, were found between the activity level and the number and length of hospital stays. The correlation between the amount of surgical interventions undergone by the patient during the previous year and the activity level was -.28 (p = .009). These findings demonstrate that higher levels of activity are associated with better physical health in elderly persons, as indicated by less frequent and shorter hospital stays, and lower frequency of surgical interventions. Several multiple regression analyses showed that social support and activity level, taken together, are statistically significant predictors of the number and length of hospital stays, and the number of surgical interventions undergone by the elderly patient. Together, these two factors explain from 11 to 18% of the variability in several indicators of physical health.