HEALTH, HEALTH BEHAVIOUR AND FUNCTIONAL ABILITY PREDICTING DEPRESSION IN OLD AGE: A LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Autor: Erkki Kesti, Sirkka-Liisa Kivelä, Pekka Laippala, Pahkala Kimmo, Päivi Köngäs-Saviaro
Rok vydání: 1996
Předmět:
Zdroj: International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 11:871-877
ISSN: 1099-1166
0885-6230
Popis: The predictive value of health, health behaviour and functional ability for the occurrence of depression in elderly Finns is described using a longitudinal design. The persons determined as not being depressed (DSM-III criteria) in an epidemiological study in 1984–85 were interviewed and examined in a follow-up study in 1989–90 (N=679). The risk factors were analysed by contrasting the persons depressed in 1989–90 with those not depressed. Of the symptoms, recurrent falling and a loss of appetite in men, and palpitation, dyspnoea at rest, tremor in the hands, nausea, dizziness, recurrent falling, apathy and feebleness, fatigue and weakness, restlessness and sight disturbances in women predicted depression. Certain depressive symptoms, such as crying spells, psychomotor agitation, irritability, self-deprecation and suicidal thoughts in men, and sadness, tachycardia, a loss of concentration, psychomotor retardation and indecisiveness in women, also predicted depression. Numerous somatic and psychosomatic symptoms and numerous depressive symptoms were risk factors for women. Old age, poor self-perceived health, dependence on outside help in negotiating stairs and dependence on outside help in washing oneself were risk factors for men. A previous episode of depression was a predictor in both sexes. Sex was not related to the risk of depression. Both in men and women, an impairment of functional abilities during the follow-up was related to depression. A decline of self-perceived health, an occurrence of a serious disease and a decrease in the amount of physical exercise among women and moving into long-term institutional care and a decline of self-perceived health during the follow-up among men were associated with a greater risk. The occurrence of genitourinary diseases in men and the occurrence of vascular, cerebrovascular, thyroid or neurological disease in women during the follow-up were related to a high risk. The results support the hypotheses of a multifactorial aetiology and a relapsing and episodic course of depression in old age.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
Externí odkaz: