Depressive symptoms among older residents at nursing homes in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the depressive symptoms of older residents at nursing homes and the relationship between their depressive symptoms and certain selected variables.


BACKGROUND
Depression has become a major healthcare concern among the older people, but nursing home-based studies on risk factors of depression have still hardly been well performed in Taiwan.


METHODS
A cross-sectional design was developed and implemented.


METHODS
A research sample of 138 older residents was recruited from eight nursing homes located in southern Taiwan. During face-to-face interviews, the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, Social Support Scale, Chronic Condition Checklist and Socio-demographic Inventory were used for data collection.


RESULTS
The results showed that 81.8% of those residents were identified as being depressed. It was further discovered that the length of residency, number of chronic conditions, perceived health status and the amount of social support from their family and relatives could explain 38.8% of the total variances in depressive symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that, in Taiwan, older people who live in nursing homes suffer from more depressive symptoms than those in community dwellings. To maintain and improve the health status for the elderly as much as possible, it is suggested that healthcare providers at nursing homes should develop an effective health promotion program for these older peoples.


CONCLUSIONS
There exists a high rate of depressive symptoms among older residents at nursing homes. It is imperative that a proper identification and its correspondent treatment for this health problem on the older residents are required. In late life, to maintain a higher level of quality of life, it is important to suggest that the health providers should regularly screen older people to increase the likelihood of diagnosis and improved treatment of late-life depressive symptoms.
Lin
Pao-Chen
PC
Department of Nursing, Chung Hwa College of Medical Technology, Tainan, Taiwan, ROC.
Wang
Hsiu-Hung
HH
Huang
Hui-Tzu
HT
D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000458:organization & administration; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology