Religiosity of depressed elderly inpatients.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of religious practices and beliefs of depressed elderly Australian inpatients and their relationship to physical, social, and cognitive variables known to influence the prognosis of depression in the elderly. To compare the results obtained with those from similar North American studies.


METHODS
Inpatients with a DSM-IV diagnosis of major depression were interviewed on admission to the psychogeriatric unit of a Melbourne geriatric centre. Information collected included patient demographics, intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity, cognitive function, severity of depression, number of chronic illnesses, physical function, and numbers and quality of social support. Pearson correlation and multivariate analysis using a standard regression model were used to examine relationships between the religious and other variables.


RESULTS
Of the 86 patients who completed the assessment, 25% attended church regularly and 37% prayed, meditated, or read the Bible, at least once a day. Just over half rarely or never engaged in such behaviours. Three out of every eight patients were 'intrinsically' religious. Religious patients expressed higher levels of social support and physically disabled patients were more likely to be religious.


CONCLUSIONS
Depressed elderly Australian inpatients are less religious than their North American counterparts. Nevertheless, religion remains important for a large minority of such individuals. Clinicians need to be aware that such individuals may turn to religion when depressed, especially to cope with the presence of physical disability.
Payman
Vahid
V
The Peter James Centre and Department of Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. vahid.payman@peterjames.org.au
George
Kuruvilla
K
Ryburn
Bridget
B
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011594:Psychometrics; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012944:Social Support; D014739:Victoria