title: The effects of light therapy on depressed elders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elderly depression has gradually become a severe issue in the health care system. No studies have focused on evaluating the effects of light therapy on the elderly with depression in a subtropical climate area.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of light therapy on hospitalized, depressed elders living in a subtropical climate area.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental design was used. For the experimental group, patients sat in front of a light box, receiving 5000 lux in the morning. The light therapy course was administered for 50 minutes per day and lasted for 5 days. The control group did not receive any treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Depressive symptoms were significantly reduced in the experimental group at post-test but no significant decline was found in the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based upon the results of this study, light therapy could be used to decrease depressive symptoms in the elderly.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Chang Gung University, Taiwan. yftsai@mail.cgu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Yun-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Thomas K S
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Yeong-Yuh
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Juang
authors.forename: Hsiu-Hsin
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Tsai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010789:Phototherapy / Q000379:methods*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D014329:Tropical Climate